Reacción a "The wildfire in Los Gallardos (Almería) has left at least 12 people dead"

Based on the official information available to date (15:45 on 10 July 26), the following can be stated:

• The fire broke out on 9 July 2026 in the municipality of Los Gallardos (Almería).

• From the very outset, the fire behaved in an extreme and highly intense manner, fuelled by high temperatures, low humidity and strong winds. There were simultaneous fires in Andalusia, which has placed a strain on the emergency services.

• The evacuation of various housing estates and villages was ordered.

• The fire affected several roads and severely hampered travel and evacuation operations.

• The latest official figures confirm 12 fatalities and several injuries. Search and identification efforts are ongoing. Twenty-three people remain missing.

• Some of the victims were found inside burnt-out vehicles, whilst others were found outside after attempting to flee on foot.

• Forensic teams and the Civil Guard are continuing to identify all the victims.

• The judicial investigation into the cause of the fire remains open and no official cause has yet been determined.

Hypotheses and information pending confirmation. The following points have been reported in various media outlets or mentioned by public officials, but it is not yet possible to confirm them as fully substantiated facts:

• That the cause of the fire was linked to a fault or the collapse of a power line.

• That a significant proportion or all of the victims were foreign nationals.

• That some people deviated from the recommended evacuation route and took alternative paths.

• The exact sequence of movements made by the victims before they became trapped.

• The specific circumstances in which each of the deaths occurred.

• The definitive reconstruction of the fire’s behaviour during the critical minutes.

• It will be the technical and judicial investigation that will confirm or rule out these hypotheses.

Considerations regarding safety during a wildfire:

This incident once again highlights a widely recognised principle in wildfire emergency management: the level of safety depends to a large extent on where people are located when the fire front reaches the area.

In general terms, the order of safety can be summarised as follows:

• Maximum safety: remaining in fire-resistant buildings located within a consolidated built-up area, provided the authorities have not ordered an evacuation. These environments offer a lower fuel load, better conditions for emergency services to intervene and greater protection against thermal radiation.

• High safety: remain inside a fire-resistant building located outside the built-up area, provided it meets adequate self-protection standards and evacuation is not possible or has not been ordered.

• Intermediate situation: remaining inside a vehicle within an urban area may offer temporary protection against radiant heat, embers and smoke. On roads or tracks, this is effective for a limited time. However, the vehicle does not constitute a safe refuge when it is directly exposed to the front of the flames or is immobilised.

• Maximum vulnerability: travelling by road or on foot in the vicinity of a wildfire exhibiting extreme behaviour. The speed of spread, sudden changes in wind direction, loss of visibility due to smoke, falling trees or power lines, and blocked roads can rapidly turn an escape route into a high-risk situation.

For all these reasons, whenever possible, it is preferable to remain in a suitable shelter or to evacuate early, following only the instructions and routes established by the emergency services, and avoiding making individual decisions once the fire has reached an extreme stage.