Wildfire in Almería kills 12, political clash over ES-Alert ensues

A wildfire in Los Gallardos, Almería, has left 12 dead, 23 missing, and 4 seriously injured, becoming one of Spain's deadliest forest fires in decades. The tragedy ignited a political firestorm over the use of the ES-Alert emergency system, with figures from both the central government and the Junta de Andalucía trading accusations.

The ES-Alert controversy

The Junta de Andalucía decided not to send an ES-Alert message to residents, a decision defended by President Juanma Moreno and Vice President Antonio Sanz. They argued that technical experts advised against it, as the situation required differentiated instructions—some residents needed to evacuate, others to shelter in place—and a single message would cause confusion. Additionally, phone coverage was patchy in the area Source: ABC.es, El Mundo.

Political reactions

Óscar Puente, Minister of Transport, and PSOE spokesperson Montse Mínguez criticized the Junta's decision. Puente accused the PP-led Junta of cutting firefighting resources and failing to send the alert Source: El Confidencial. Miguel Tellado, PP secretary general, blamed the central government for lacking focus on management. In contrast, Minister Félix Bolaños and opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo called for cooperation and avoided direct criticism, with Bolaños stating that decisions should be based on technical criteria Source: ABC.es, El Mundo.

Current situation

The fire has burned over 7,000 hectares but was stabilized and perimetred by Sunday. Search efforts continue for the missing, and identification of the deceased is ongoing Source: ABC.es, La Vanguardia.