NPR Updates Spain Wildfire Death Toll

NPR has updated its article on the deadly wildfires in Spain, changing the reported death toll from 11 to 12 people and adding new details on the circumstances of the victims. The revised article states that "Several victims of the fire in the southern province of Almeria, a popular holiday destination, were found inside burnt-out vehicles and were thought to have died while trying to flee the flames." This change provides a more specific and disturbing account of the tragedy. Additionally, the updated article notes that four British nationals and other unspecified foreign nationals are among the dead, and that most of the victims died while attempting to flee, ignoring shelter-in-place instructions. These changes provide a more accurate and detailed understanding of the devastating consequences of the wildfire.

Related Changes

One of Spain's deadliest wildfires has killed at least 11 people +787 -416
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− Fresh Air Wild Card with Rachel Martin It's Been a Minute Embedded Get NPR+ More Podcasts & Shows Search Newsletters NPR Shop Get NPR+ Tiny Desk New Music Friday All Songs Considered Music Features Live Sessions About NPR Diversity Support Careers Press Ethics One of Spain's deadliest wildfires has killed at least 11 people A wildfire in southern Spain has killed at least 11 people, making it one of the country's deadliest on record, as soaring temperatures grip much of the country.
+ Fresh Air Wild Card with Rachel Martin It's Been a Minute Embedded Get NPR+ More Podcasts & Shows Search Newsletters NPR Shop Get NPR+ Tiny Desk New Music Friday All Songs Considered Music Features Live Sessions About NPR Diversity Support Careers Press Ethics Spain wildfire kills at least 12 people, 23 others missing Several victims of the fire in the southern province of Almeria, a popular holiday destination, were found inside burnt-out vehicles and were thought to have died while trying to flee the flames.
− Europe One of Spain's deadliest wildfires has killed at least 11 people July 10, 20264:53 AM ET By The Associated Press This image made from video provided by INFOCA shows firefighters battling a wildfire near Los Gallardos, Almeria, Spain, on Thursday, July 9, 2026.
+ Europe One of Spain's deadliest wildfires kills at least 12 people, with 23 others missing Updated July 10, 202610:09 AM ET Originally published July 10, 20264:53 AM ET By The Associated Press This image made from video provided by INFOCA shows firefighters battling a wildfire near Los Gallardos, Almeria, Spain, on Thursday.
− INFOCA/AP hide caption MADRID — A wildfire in southern Spain has killed at least 11 people, making it one of the country's deadliest on record, as soaring temperatures grip much of the country, authorities said early Friday.
+ INFOCA/AP hide caption MADRID — One of Spain's deadliest wildfires on record killed 12 people overnight into Friday, authorities said, as soaring temperatures grip much of the country.
− Several victims of the fire in Almeria were found inside burnt-out vehicles, local media reported.
+ Several victims of the fire in the southern province of Almeria, a popular holiday destination, were found inside burnt-out vehicles and were thought to have died while trying to flee the flames. Eight people have been injured and a further 23 are unaccounted for, Andalusia's regional leader Juan Manuel Moreno said.
− Six others have been injured in the blaze, which 150 firefighters and 220 soldiers from Spain's military emergency unit were battling Friday.
+ Some 150 firefighters and 220 soldiers from Spain's military emergency unit were battling the blaze, which has consumed more than 3,200 hectares (7,900 acres) of forest and farmland.
− Spanish authorities reported earlier that 12 people had died, but revised the death toll Friday morning.
+ Regional emergency authorities said four British nationals and other unspecified foreign nationals appeared to be among the dead.
− The fire broke out in a hamlet in a semi-arid area near the Sierra de Los Filabres mountains.
+ A map of Europe shows southern Spain's Almeria province, where a wildfire has struck amid high temperatures across the continent.
− Authorities have not confirmed the cause of the fire, but said people who called to report it said that a fallen power line had sparked a blaze that spread rapidly into a nearby forest.
+ Will Jarrett/AP hide caption The fire broke out in a hamlet in a semi-arid area near the Sierra de Los Filabres mountains. Authorities have not confirmed the cause, but said people who called to report the fire said that a fallen power line had sparked a blaze that spread rapidly into a nearby forest.
− The fire also led to road closures, while 1,000 residents were evacuated, according to emergency services.
+ Most of the victims died while attempting to flee and ignored shelter-in-place instructions, said Antonio Sanz, president of Andalusia's emergency services. One group did so via a dry riverbed, which "turned into a death trap," he said.
− Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed his condolences, writing on X of his "Immense sadness and desolation in the face of the terrible consequences of the fire affecting the province of Almeria." Spain has battled frequent and severe heatwaves in recent years, with temperatures often exceeding 40°C (104°F).
+ Seven people died while on foot after abandoning their cars, Sanz said, likely looking for a way out. "The consequences have been terrible.
− Wind, high temperatures and little rainfall help small wildfire grow into unchecked blazes.
+ Everything seems to indicate that, in the case of the deceased ... we are dealing for the most part, if not entirely, with foreign nationals," Sanz said.
− In June, Spain experienced several days of record-setting heat, with over 1,000 excess deaths attributed to heat.
+ Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed his condolences. "Immense sadness and desolation in the face of the terrible consequences of the fire affecting the province of Almeria," he wrote on X.
− Parts of Western Europe are facing their third heatwave in six weeks.
+ Spain has battled frequent and severe heat waves in recent years, with temperatures often exceeding 40 C (104 F). Wind, high temperatures and little rainfall help small wildfires grow into unchecked blazes.
− Europe is the world's fastest-warming continent, with temperatures increasing twice as fast as the global average since the 1980s, according to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service.
+ In June, Spain experienced several days of record-setting heat, with over 1,000 excess deaths attributed to heat. A wildfire rages in Alfajir, near Almeria in southeastern Spain, Friday.
− Globally, 2025 was the third-hottest year on record, bringing several intense heatwaves across Europe.
+ Gregorio Marrero/AP hide caption Europe is the world's fastest-warming continent, with temperatures increasing twice as fast as the global average since the 1980s, according to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service. Parts of Western Europe are facing their third heat wave in six weeks. Globally, 2025 was the third-hottest year on record, bringing several intense heat waves across Europe.
+ France is experiencing the peak of its third heat wave of the summer, with temperatures reaching 40 C (104 F) across western and central areas and around 37 C (98 F) in Paris. French authorities have also warned of a very high wildfire risk, as large fires in the south have already scorched thousands of hectares this week, disrupting the Tour de France cycling race and stretching firefighting resources. The largest wildfire, which broke out in the eastern Pyrenees, near the Spanish border, has decreased in intensity, authorities said Friday. It burned about 5,000 hectares (12,000 acres) and forced the evacuation of more than 10,000 people from nearly villages, who have since been allowed to return home. Last month was France's hottest June on record, with deaths surging by nearly a third during the hottest week.
Scientists warn that climate change caused in part by the burning of fuels like gasoline, oil and coal is exacerbating the frequency and intensity of heat and dryness, making certain regions more vulnerable to wildfires.
+ Spain is no stranger to wildfires, with last year's fire season burning more than 393,000 hectares (almost 1,520 square miles), according to the European Forest Fire Information System, an area twice as large as London. Four people died. In 2017, a wildfire in neighboring Portugal left 66 people dead in Pedrogao Grande, located 200 kilometers (120 miles) northeast of Lisbon. In that blaze, 47 people died on one road while similarly attempting to flee in their cars.
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