We are writing to all our clients with property or family connections in Almería province, given the scale of the wildfire that struck the area earlier this month.
We are receiving many requests for consultations , so what follows is as much information as I can provide at this moment in time on the subject.
**What happened, and where**
On 9 July 2026, a fire broke out near the old N-340A road at Almocáizar, in the municipality of Los Gallardos. Driven by temperatures near 40°C, very low humidity and winds gusting up to 50 km/h, it spread quickly across the municipalities of Los Gallardos, Bédar and Antas, in the Levante Almeriense — the inland area behind Mojácar and Vera. It is now the deadliest wildfire in Andalusia’s history: 13 people died, around 18 were injured, and more than 1,400 residents were evacuated. Roughly 7,000 hectares burned before the fire was declared stabilised on 12 July. Evacuees are now returning home in stages, with many already back.
If your property is in or near Los Gallardos, Bédar, Antas, or the surrounding countryside toward Mojácar and Vera, please read on. If you are further along the coast (Mojácar Playa, Garrucha, Vera Playa) or elsewhere in Almería, the fire did not reach you, but the insurance and precautionary points below are still worth ten minutes of your time. Please note that the wildfire did not get over the motorway so if your property is anywhere from the motorway to the beach you are not affected even if your house is in Los Gallardos. For example the main village of Los Gallardos and the urbanisation of Huerta Nueva are completely unaffected. Even on the wrong side of the motorway there are many pockets completely untouched by the fire. My intention is for everyone to check out the situation of their property , but to not panic as the great majority of those reading will be unaffected , even in the municipalities mentioned in the press as where the fires took place.
**If your property was in the affected area**
If you have not already done so, contact your local town hall (ayuntamiento) or Guardia Civil to confirm it is safe to return, as some areas are being reopened in stages. Take dated photographs and, ideally, video of your property and its contents — inside and out — as soon as you are able to access it, even if you see no visible damage, since smoke and heat damage is not always obvious immediately. .
tel town hall of Los Gallardos:00 34 950 469000
tel town hall of Bedar: 00 34 950 469277
**Insurance: what to do now, and what not to assume**
This is the point we most want clients to see. Home insurance in Spain does cover fire damage, but only up to the limit set in your own policy, and the process is time-sensitive:
You generally have seven days from the date of the fire to notify your insurer of a claim — if you have not already reported any damage, please do so now rather than waiting. Once notified, the insurer has up to 40 days to inspect and value the damage and make a provisional offer, and up to three months from the date of the fire to pay the final settlement.
Before the insurer’s assessor visits, gather everything you can: dated photos and video of every affected room and item, purchase receipts or proof of value for damaged possessions, any press coverage or official reports mentioning the fire’s impact on your area, and receipts for any urgent expenses you have already had to pay (temporary accommodation, emergency repairs, and so on). Get at least one written repair or reconstruction estimate to submit alongside your claim.
Make sure that your property is well locked up.
One important point of confusion in the press coverage: Spain’s Consorcio de Compensación de Seguros — the state fund that steps in for certain catastrophic risks — does not cover wildfire damage in most cases. Your claim needs to go through your ordinary household insurer, and only up to whatever your policy provides. If you are not certain what your policy covers, or if you do not currently hold home insurance in Spain, this is a good moment to check — Almería is known to have one of the lowest rates of home insurance take-up in Spain, which has left a number of affected households without meaningful cover.
**The criminal investigation**
A judicial investigation has been opened at the Juzgado de Instrucción de Vera into how the fire started and spread. Early findings point to a cable falling from an old, deteriorated electricity pole and igniting dry vegetation, though who bears responsibility for it is still being examined and no one has yet been formally charged. We are following this closely. If you lost a family member, were injured, or suffered significant property loss and want to understand whether it is worth formally joining those proceedings, we have published a more detailed guide on our blog and are happy to talk it through with you directly.
A full explanation of how to join the criminal investigation can be seen below:
With our best wishes to everyone affected,
Michael Davies
Davies Abogados
Member 1748 of Almería Law Society.
