Several Belgians are missing after a deadly wildfire in southern Spain on Thursday evening, Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot said on Friday.
Belgium's consular services are working to contact the missing people, although the number involved has not been disclosed.
The major forest fire broke out on Thursday evening near Almería, in the Andalusia region. It has already ravaged nearly 3,150 hectares. More than 400 emergency personnel, including around 150 regional firefighters, aerial resources and members of the Military Emergency Unit, remain mobilised in an attempt to bring the blaze under control.
At least 12 people have died, eight are injured, and 23 remain missing, according to Juan Manuel Moreno Bonilla, the head of the regional government. Some of the victims were found in their vehicles whilst trying to escape the flames, RTL reported.
"Everything seems to indicate that, for the majority, if not all, of those who died, we are dealing with foreigners," said the Andalusian councillor responsible for emergencies, Antonio Sanz, adding that Belgian and British nationals are likely among the casualties.
According to initial reports, four victims were in a right-hand-drive car, suggesting they may have been British.
In a post on X, Prévot said: "Spain is a second home for many Belgians, who live there or have spent part of their lives there. Our consular services are fully mobilised. They are working to contact those Belgians with whom contact has not yet been established, and are available to assist anyone who has not heard from loved ones in the region."
(ES/FR/NL) 🇪🇸 Esta noche, Bélgica y España se enfrentan sobre el terreno de juego. Pero nuestros pensamientos están con Andalucía, devastada por unos incendios de una violencia terrible.
A las víctimas de estos incendios y a sus allegados les expreso mis más sinceras… — Maxime PREVOT (@prevotmaxime) July 10, 2026
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed his "immense sadness and grief" and offered his condolences to the victims' families. This single fire has already claimed more lives than all the forest fires recorded in Spain in 2025, a year in which eight people lost their lives.
The country is currently facing a new heatwave. Several regions in Andalusia have been on orange alert in recent days, as high temperatures are fuelling the rapid spread of the fires.
In recent days, several major fires have also broken out elsewhere in the country, notably in Catalonia, where more than 2,000 hectares have gone up in smoke.
This article was updated at 14:45 on Friday with the latest figures.
