As flames approached their homes and the smoke-filled air became choking, panicked residents in rural Andalusian villages around Los Gallardos in southern Spain chose to flee, a decision some paid for with their lives.
Firefighters on Friday were still trying to contain one of Spain’s deadliest wildfires, with a total of 11 people confirmed dead, while 19 more are missing.
A firefighting vehicle stands next to a Spanish Civil Guard vehicle as residents get ready to leave their homes while smoke and flames rise during a wildfire in Los Gallardos, Almeria, Spain on July 10, 2026. —Reuters
Authorities told some residents of areas in the mountains above Los Gallardos to evacuate via a recommended route, while residents of the forested hamlet of Bedar were told to shelter in place.
However, as the flames rapidly approached, Antonio Rubio, a handyman living in Bedar, said the smoke had made it impossible to shelter in place.
