At least 12 people have died in a wildfire in southern Spain, with early indications suggesting four of the victims are British, according to a local official
Hundreds of emergency responders are working to extinguish the blaze around Los Gallardos, Almería - officials say they've never had such a devastating fire
The bodies of the victims were found near the small village of Bédar, just outside Los Gallardos, while 23 others are still missing and hundreds of residents have been evacuated
The fire is "more or less" under control but "if the wind picks up again, things could get complicated", the mayor of nearby town Antas tells Spanish media
Meanwhile, the UK Foreign Office is in touch with the relevant authorities in Spain over the "concerning" reports of British casualties, Downing Street says
A sustained heatwave with temperatures of around 40C (104F) has caused wildfires across southern Europe this summer
Peter, on holidays near Los Gallardos, tells the BBC it was "surreal" as the sky became darker, with the "glow" of the fire in the distance
Hundreds of firefighters are working to contain the blaze around Los Gallardos, Almería, which appears to have been caused by a downed power line
A sustained heatwave with temperatures of around 40C (104F) has caused wildfires across southern Europe this summer
The bodies of the 11 victims were found in and around the small village of Bédar, just outside Los Gallardos, while 19 pothers are still missing
Regional president Juanma Moreno says the deaths are a tragedy and warns the death toll could rise significantly
Firefighters are continuing to tackle the deadly wildfire that has claimed at least 11 lives in Almeria, southern Spain.
Images released by local authorities overnight show the extent of the blaze, which local minister Antonio Sanz describes as "very complex, very fast-moving".
A spokesperson for EMA Infoca, the emergency firefighting agency in Andalusia, says the images show the "magnitude" of the fire, as well as "the conditions under which the forest fighters have worked".
An emergency worker tackling the wildfire in Almeria. Regional authorities described the fire as "very complex, very fast-moving"
Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (L), and Andalusian regional President Juanma Moreno (R) address the media during their visit to the site of a major train collision near the town of Adamuz, Cordoba province, southern Spain, 19 January 2026
Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (L), and Andalusian regional leader Juanma Moreno (R) - pictured in January - have given updates on the fire
Juanma Moreno, the president of Spain's Andalusia region where the fire is taking place, says the consequences of the blaze are "devasating".
In an update posted on X, he confirms that at least 11 people have died, eight injured and 19 unaccounted for."We are all fully committed to assisting those affected, and the response team is working tirelessly to contain the fire as soon as possible," he writes.
Earlier today, Moreno warned that the death toll could rise significantly.
Overnight, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described the "terrible consequences" caused by the fire and offered his condolences to the families of those killed.
The fire is complex and rapid, according to Andalusia's health and emergencies minister Antonio Sanz, who says it broke out in a wooded area.
Andalusia's regional leader Juanma Moreno says it appears to have been caused by a downed power line.
Moreno has also warned that the death toll could rise significantly, writing on social media: "Our hearts are heavy and we are devastated by grief."
The bodies of the 11 people that are confirmed to have been killed in the fire were found in and around the small village of Bédar, just outside Los Gallardos, in the Andalusia region of southern Spain.
The region’s health and emergencies minister, Antonio Sanz, says the majority, or even all of the victims, may be foreign nationals.
Four of those killed were trapped inside a car, says Sanz, adding that these four are believed to be “of British origin” and that the car had a steering wheel on the right.
However, we do not have any official confirmation that those involved were British. The BBC has contacted the UK Foreign Office for further information.
Andalusia's regional leader, Juanma Moreno, says that a further 19 people are currently unaccounted for, while a further eight have been injured, four seriously so.
At least 11 people have died and 19 others are missing in a wildfire in southern Spain, Andalusia's regional leader Juanma Moreno says.Another local official says early indications suggest four of the victims are British.
Hundreds of people are trying to contain the fire, which Moreno says appears to have been caused by a downed power line. The flames then spread in a wooded area around Los Gallardos, Almería
A sustained heatwave with temperatures of around 40C (104F) has caused wildfires across southern Europe this summer.
Firefighters have been battling major incidents in France, Portugal and Spain, with thousands forced to leave their homes.
The bodies of the 11 victims were found in and around the small village of Bédar, just outside Los Gallardos.We'll bring you the latest updates on the situation as the day unfolds, so stay with us.