Wildfire in southern Spain claims 12 lives as record heatwave scorches Europe - video

The fire, that broke out amid a severe heatwave, injured at least six people; two of them were hospitalized with burn symptoms and smoke inhalation.

Four other victims were treated at the scene. They reportedly suffered minor burns and respiratory problems due to heavy smoke. About 150 firefighters are involved in extinguishing the blaze.

Some of the victims were found in their cars, the regional government said in a statement, according to France24.

Authorities have not yet announced the cause of the fire, but according to witnesses, the blaze may have started due to a power line falling onto dry grass. This led to the rapid spread of the fire to a nearby forest area.

Authorities blocked roads and evacuated residents — about 50 people were placed in a local cultural center.

Spain's Military Emergencies Unit is expected to join the rescuers in the coming hours.

Record-breaking heatwave

In recent years, Spain has increasingly experienced prolonged periods of extreme heat, with temperatures often exceeding 40°C (104°F), creating the conditions for massive forest fires.

On July 8, another heatwave brought a new temperature record to Barcelona, where the temperature reached 40.5°C (104.9°F) for the first time in recorded history.

According to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), over 393,000 hectares burned in Spain in 2025, making it the year of the most extensive forest fires in the country in recent times.

June 2026 became the hottest on record in Western Europe.

Scientists from the Copernicus Climate Change Service recorded that the average temperature in Western Europe last month was 20.74°C (69.3°F) — more than 3°C above the average for June between 1991 and 2020. Copernicus defines Western Europe as the area stretching from Spain and the UK in the west to Italy, Germany, and parts of Austria in the east.

June also became the second-warmest month globally on record, while the ocean surface temperature in June reached its highest level for the entire measurement period.