A rapidly spreading wildfire in southern Spain’s Andalusia region has resulted in at least 12 fatalities.
Regional officials announced on Friday that this blaze marks the deadliest in the region’s history, with several individuals still missing. The cause of the fire remains unidentified as the country grapples with extreme heat.
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The fire ignited on Thursday afternoon near the N-340 highway in Los Gallardos, Almeria province, and quickly spread to the adjacent municipality of Bedar due to strong winds.
Emergency services discovered multiple victims trapped in their vehicles while trying to escape a nearby rural area, according to local reports.
Continuing search operations revealed that nineteen people are still unaccounted for, as stated by Andalusia’s regional leader Juanma Moreno on Cadena Ser radio, as reported by Reuters.
As reported by La Voz de Almeria, this wildfire surpasses all previous fire fatalities recorded in the region during both the 20th and 21st centuries.
Antonio Sanz, Andalusia’s acting minister for health, presidency, and emergencies, described this as “the most devastating fire to date in our region” and lamented the “unprecedented tragedy.”
“The pain is immense. Andalusia is in mourning, and our hearts go out to Almería and all those affected,” Sanz expressed.
Additionally, six people suffered injuries, including a woman with severe burns and another individual hospitalized for smoke inhalation. Four others received treatment on-site for minor burns and respiratory issues. Approximately 50 evacuees are being housed at a local cultural center.
Over 300 emergency responders, including 150 specialists from Spain’s Military Emergency Unit (UME), are actively combating the fire, which has led to the closure of two major highways due to heavy smoke.
Investigations are underway to determine the precise cause of the Almeria wildfire, with local reports suggesting that a downed power line may have sparked the dry brush.
Earlier this year, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez confirmed that Spain intends to launch its largest-ever response to summer wildfires.
In a social media post, he conveyed his “enormous sadness and devastation,” noted the mobilization of emergency services, and advised residents to remain cautious. He also expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and wished a swift recovery for the injured.
Countries across Western Europe have experienced intense heatwaves this May and June, severely drying out landscapes and increasing wildfire risk.
The World Meteorological Organization reported that Europe is warming at a rate more than double the global average, making extended heat spells more likely.
