Almeria Wildfire Leaves 20 Missing After Killing 12 as EU Large Fires Nearly Double
Updated
Updated · CNN · Jul 12
Almeria Wildfire Leaves 20 Missing After Killing 12 as EU Large Fires Nearly Double
3 articles · Updated · CNN · Jul 12
Summary
Nearly 20 people remained missing after the Almeria wildfire killed at least 12 people and left four with severe burns near Spain’s Mediterranean coast.
Three successive heatwaves after an exceptionally wet winter turned dense vegetation into tinder, helping the blaze spread rapidly through a dry, largely untended area.
314 EU fires larger than 30 hectares have been recorded so far this year, up from 158 a year earlier, and they have burned 160,000 hectares versus a long-run average below 100,000.
France and Portugal are also battling major fires, while Europe’s heat has already been tied to more than 2,000 deaths in France, weaker crop forecasts and rising mosquito-borne disease risk.
With record resources deployed, why are Europe's new wildfire strategies failing to prevent such catastrophic loss of life?
With victims found trapped in their cars, did evacuation warnings and routes fail residents at the critical moment?
Los Gallardos Wildfire Kills Six: Climate Change, Emergency Response, and the Future of Fire in Europe
Overview
The Los Gallardos wildfire caused six confirmed deaths, leading to deep grief in the community and strong reactions from regional leaders, who called the event an unprecedented tragedy. Authorities are investigating the cause, with early reports suggesting a downed power line may have started the fire. As wildfires become more unpredictable and deadly due to climate change, Spain responded by launching its largest wildfire response plan ever, mobilizing numerous agencies. This disaster highlights the growing challenges posed by climate-driven wildfires and the urgent need for coordinated emergency and prevention efforts.