MADRID — Twelve people were reported killed in a wildfire in Almeria in southern Spain, as about 150 firefighters battled the blaze that broke out amid soaring temperatures, the Emergency Agency of Andalucía said early on Friday.
“The number of people who died in the fire in Los Gallardos has risen to 12 after the confirmation of six more deaths,” the regional government of Andalusia said in a statement.
The deaths took place in the hamlet of Bedar, the statement said, adding that the fire injured at least six people, including a woman who suffered burns and another person with smoke inhalation who was taken to hospital.
Four others were treated at the scene for minor burns and respiratory problems caused by heavy smoke.
Minister of the Presidency, Health, and Emergencies Antonio Sanz called the fire “the most devastating fire to date in our region” and described the situation as an “unprecedented tragedy.”
“Our deepest condolences to the families of the six people who lost their lives in the Los Gallardos and the affection from all of us to the municipalities affected by the fire,” Juanma Moreno, the leader of Spain’s southern Andalusia region, wrote in a post on X.
Authorities have not confirmed the cause of the fire, but witnesses told officials the blaze may have started after a power line fell, igniting dry vegetation before spreading rapidly through surrounding woodland.
Roads were closed and residents evacuated as the fire spread, with about 50 people housed in a cultural centre.
Spain’s military emergency unit, which is deployed in major emergencies, was due to join firefighting efforts in the coming hours.
Los Gallardos is a municipality of the Almería province in Spain’s southern region of Andalusia. The blaze comes after a wildfire burning out of control in southern Franceearlier this week forced the evacuation of over 10,000 people from two dozen small towns and villages near the Spanish border.
Early summer heatwaves across western Europe in May and June have parched vast areas of land, making them particularly vulnerable to wildfires this year.
Europe is warming at more than twice the global average, the World Meteorological Organization has said, making prolonged heat episodes increasingly likely.
Source: Saudi Gazette