Seville/Almería, Spain, July 10 (EFE).- A fast-moving wildfire in southern Spain has killed at least 12 people, injured eight and left 19 missing, making it the country’s deadliest wildfire so far this year, authorities said Friday.
The blaze, which broke out on Thursday near Los Gallardos in the southern region of Andalusia, may have been sparked by a fallen power line, according to local authorities.
Andalusian regional president Juanma Moreno said the fire created «a kind of trap» for those caught in its path.
Emergency officials said four British nationals died after becoming trapped inside a vehicle, while seven other victims were killed as they tried to flee the advancing flames. Authorities have not yet provided details about the remaining fatality.
Antonio Sanz, Andalusia’s regional minister for the presidency, said some victims had attempted to escape along unofficial routes through dense smoke, worsening an already dangerous situation.
He added that all or most of those killed appear to be foreign nationals.
Among the injured, four suffered severe burns and are expected to be airlifted from Torrecárdenas Hospital in Almería to Virgen del Rocío Hospital in Seville. The other four, who sustained less serious injuries, are being treated in Almería.
The Civil Guard has established a family assistance center in the nearby town of Garrucha to help identify the missing and collect DNA samples.
Spain’s Military Emergency Unit (UME) has deployed 200 personnel and 70 vehicles to support firefighting operations.
Authorities said the rugged terrain, marked by steep ravines, has hampered access for heavy equipment.
The fire’s right flank remains a concern because of its potential spread toward cultivated land, while the left flank continues to burn intensely.
The fire has forced the evacuation of several nearby communities and tourist resorts along the Mediterranean coast, an area that attracts large numbers of visitors during the summer.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia expressed their condolences to the victims’ families and praised the emergency personnel battling the blaze.
The wildfire in Almería is one of several major fires that have affected Spain and neighboring Portugal in recent weeks amid intense heatwaves and exceptionally high summer temperatures. EFE
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