Spanish emergency services continue to battle pockets of fire in the country’s southeast after one of the deadliest wildfires in its recent history claimed at least 12 lives.
Hundreds of firefighters remain deployed around the village of Bedar in Almería province, where authorities confirmed that 12 people have died. Spanish officials said the victims include four people believed to be British nationals, while another 23 people remain missing.
Local authorities in the Los Gallardos area warned that the death toll could increase as search operations continue, amid concerns that more foreign nationals may be among the victims.
The wildfire erupted on Thursday during an intense heatwave that has pushed temperatures to around 40°C (104°F), with strong winds and extremely dry conditions allowing the flames to spread rapidly across the region.
Andalusia’s Health and Emergencies Minister, Antonio Sanz, said the blaze has scorched approximately 6,600 hectares (16,300 acres) of land.
He noted that improved weather conditions on Saturday had allowed firefighters to shift from defensive operations to direct attacks on the remaining fire.
“This is the first day we will be able to mount a direct attack on the fire. Until now, weather conditions and the behaviour of the blaze only allowed us to work defensively,” Sanz said.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the wildfire. While officials initially suggested that a fallen power line may have sparked the blaze, electricity companies have denied responsibility.
The identities of the four people believed to be British have not been released. Officials said they were found inside a burnt-out vehicle with a right-hand-drive steering wheel, indicating they were likely from the United Kingdom.
British tourist Lucinda Curtois, who had arrived in Spain with her family on Thursday, described the terrifying speed at which the fire spread.
“It was almost like there was a mushroom cloud of smoke, it was like a bomb had gone off,” she said.
Curtois also expressed fears that at least two other British nationals may have been among the victims after apparently attempting to flee on foot.
Local officials said some victims did not follow the recommended evacuation route, although questions remain over how effectively evacuation guidance was communicated.
Spanish authorities and the UK Foreign Office have not yet released the identities of the deceased.
Sanz said the speed and intensity of the wildfire made the emergency particularly difficult to manage and suggested that many of the victims may be foreign nationals.
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot also confirmed that Belgian authorities were attempting to contact citizens who own holiday homes in the affected area after some could not be reached.
The disaster is already among Spain’s deadliest wildfire tragedies. In 1984, 20 people died in a wildfire on the Canary Island of La Gomera, while another 21 people, including nine children, lost their lives in a forest fire near Lloret de Mar in 1979.
Elsewhere in Europe, France has also faced severe wildfire outbreaks this summer. French authorities recently evacuated more than 10,000 residents from areas near the Pyrenees, while Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said 32 people had been arrested on suspicion of starting several fires.
Scientists have repeatedly warned that climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme heatwaves across Europe, contributing to longer wildfire seasons, drier vegetation and more destructive fires.
