Spain wildfire kills 13, many foreign nationals

A wildfire that began on Thursday, July 9, 2026, in southeastern Spain has killed 13 people, including several foreign nationals, making it one of the country's deadliest wildfires in decades. The blaze, which scorched approximately 7,000 hectares (17,300 acres) of forest and scrubland in the province of Almeria, was largely stabilized over the weekend, allowing evacuated residents to return home.

The death toll rose to 13 on Sunday, July 12, after a 93-year-old British woman died in a hospital from burn injuries sustained in the fire. Authorities have identified several victims through DNA analysis, a necessary step due to the severe condition of the remains. The identified victims include five British nationals, three Belgians, one French woman, and one Spanish man. Among them were a married couple from Spain and Britain. Three victims remain formally unidentified, and officials expect to confirm their identities in the coming days with assistance from British, Belgian, and French consular authorities.

The fire spread rapidly through the rugged, picturesque area near the Mediterranean coast, an area popular with foreign residents and tourists. At its peak, the inferno advanced...