A fast-moving Spain wildfire has killed at least 12 people and left 23 others missing in the southern province of Almeria, officials said Friday. Emergency crews continued search-and-rescue work as firefighters battled difficult terrain and extreme heat.
Spain Wildfire Becomes One of Country’s Deadliest
The wildfire broke out late Thursday near Los Gallardos, a municipality in southeastern Spain’s Andalusia region. Officials said the fire moved quickly through dry scrubland, farmland and wooded areas near the Sierra de Los Filabres mountains.
Andalusian regional leader Juan Manuel Moreno said eight people were injured. Four were in serious condition, according to officials cited by ABC News.
Authorities said many victims tried to escape by car or on foot as flames spread. Antonio Sanz, head of emergency services in Andalusia, said several people appeared to have left planned evacuation routes.
The Associated Press reported that some victims died after ignoring shelter-in-place instructions. Officials said one dry riverbed became especially dangerous as the fire advanced.
Missing People Include Possible Hikers
Officials said 23 people remained unaccounted for Friday. Moreno said some may have been hikers after rescue teams found walking sticks in the area.
Authorities also continued working to identify those killed. Regional officials said most victims appeared to be foreign nationals. Four victims were believed to be British because they were found in a vehicle with a right-side steering wheel.
The area includes holiday homes and expatriate communities. Officials said British, Belgian and other foreign residents are among those believed to have been affected.
Firefighters Face Heat, Wind and Rough Terrain
Emergency teams faced steep terrain, dry vegetation and changing winds. Officials said those conditions made the fire harder to control.
About 150 firefighters and 220 soldiers from Spain’s military emergency unit were deployed, according to the Associated Press. ABC News reported that 16 aircraft were also being used to fight the blaze.
Moreno called the fire one of the fastest and most complex wildfires in Andalusia in recent years. He warned that weather conditions remained unfavorable for crews.
Investigators have not confirmed the cause. A local official said the fire may have started after a power cable fell onto dry scrubland, Reuters reported through ARN News Centre. However, utility company Endesa said technicians found the cable carried no voltage.
Extreme Heat Raises Fire Risk
Spain has faced repeated heat waves in recent years. Hot weather, low rainfall and strong winds can turn small fires into fast-moving disasters.
Officials said heavy winter rainfall helped vegetation grow earlier this year. That undergrowth then dried during recent heat waves, creating more fuel for fires.
Reuters reported that about 57,000 hectares have burned in Spain so far this year, citing the European Forest Fire Information System. That represents a major share of burned land across the European Union this year.
The Almeria fire has already surpassed Spain’s 2005 wildfire in Guadalajara, where 11 firefighters died. Spain’s deadliest wildfire remains the 1979 Lloret de Mar fire, which killed 21 people.
Officials Urge Caution
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed condolences to the victims’ families. Regional officials also urged residents and visitors to follow evacuation and shelter instructions.
Search teams continued working Friday as officials warned that the full scale of the disaster was still emerging. For communities facing wildfire risk, authorities said the safest response is to follow official emergency orders and avoid improvised escape routes.