The forest fire declared this Thursday between Los Gallardos, Bédar, and the surroundings of Lubrín has left at least twelve dead in Almería and has forced the Infoca Plan to be raised to emergency phase, operational situation 2, with mass evacuations, closed roads, and the incorporation of the UME due to the rapid advance of the flames.
The twelve fatalities have been located by emergency teams in a tragedy that 112 is already describing as “the fire with the greatest consequences to date” in the region.
The health report also includes two people hospitalized and four others treated on the scene. One woman was evacuated with burns to the Torrecárdenas University Hospital and another person was admitted for smoke inhalation; also among the injured is a man with burns in Bédar and another person treated for a broken ankle during the evacuation.
Deployment and evacuations
The fire started in the afternoon in the Almocáizar area, in Los Gallardos, and spread rapidly through a forest area near numerous homes. The evolution of the fire has complicated the extinction and has forced a large emergency deployment.
Antonio Sanz, Minister of the Presidency, Interior, and Social Dialogue of the Regional Government of Andalusia, has elevated the Infoca Plan to emergency phase, operational situation 2, due to the evolution and potential of the fire, also activating the UME (Military Emergencies Unit).
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Sanz has described the situation as an “unprecedented tragedy,” lamenting that it was not possible to save the lives of these twelve residents: “There are no words for such pain. It is terrible news, and today the hearts of all Andalusians are in mourning.” Furthermore, given the complications on evacuation routes, the councilor has begged the public for maximum caution and insisted that they avoid the affected areas and not choose “paths that are not coordinated” without the explicit guidance of the authorities.
The regional device is working on the extinction, which has around 150 workers, 16 groups of forest firefighters, operations and extinction technicians, four fire engines, and medical and command units (UMIF, EMIF, REJA). During the afternoon, 16 aerial assets intervened, including six land-based cargo planes, seven helicopters, a coordination plane, and a heavy amphibious aircraft from the Ministry.
July 9, 2026 – The advance of the fire affects an extensive forest area and forces a large deployment of aerial and ground resources.
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The evacuations affect several population centers in the Almeria Levante. For the moment, residents of Almocáizar, Fuente del Albarico, Los Pinos, La Serena, and homes in Pinar de Bédar remain evacuated, as indicated by Diario de Almería.
54 people are being housed at the Performing Arts Center, who are being assisted by emergency personnel and Red Cross volunteers. In addition, Cadena Ser indicates that between 80 and 100 residents have been relocated in Lubrín, at the municipal theater and the industrial estate, assisted by the local corporation, the 112 emergency service, and neighbors who have provided food, water, and the opening of businesses outside of normal hours.
One of the most delicate episodes of the night occurred on the main road of Bédar. The advance of the fire crossed the road and turned the route into a trap, which prevented the use of the buses planned for the evacuation and forced a large part of those affected to be diverted towards Lubrín.
Road closures and origin under investigation
The emergency has kept the A-7 cut off between kilometers 709 and 714 in the increasing direction, as well as the N-340A in the vicinity of the fire. The closures seek to guarantee the safety of the firefighting and emergency teams in a region with highly restricted mobility.
The 112 Andalusia Emergency service has managed more than 150 calls since the start of the fire. The first reports placed the flames at kilometer 511 of the N-340A and several callers indicated that a cable had fallen before a fire started that spread rapidly toward the forest area near the road.
The cause of the fire remains officially undetermined and will have to be clarified by the investigation. The coordinating center has activated the Infoca Provincial Operational Center, the firefighters, the Civil Guard, the National Police Unit attached to the autonomous community, the Andalusia Emergency Group, and the energy supply company.
