Andalusia wildfire kills at least 12 as searches continue
Officials said 19 people were still missing after a fast-spreading blaze swept through Almeria province in southern Spain.
By Daniel Okafor · Business Editor
2 min read
A wildfire in Spain’s Andalusia region has killed at least 12 people, regional officials said Friday, making it the deadliest blaze reported in the area. The fire hit Almeria province during a period of high temperatures, and authorities said searches were continuing for missing residents.
The blaze began Thursday afternoon near the N-340 highway in Los Gallardos, according to Al Jazeera, AFP and Reuters. Strong winds pushed the flames toward the nearby municipality of Bedar, accelerating the emergency response.
Local authorities said emergency crews found several victims inside vehicles as they tried to leave a rural hamlet. Reuters reported that Andalusia’s regional leader, Juanma Moreno, told Cadena Ser radio that 19 people remained unaccounted for.
Casualties and evacuations
Regional authorities said six other people were injured. They included a woman with serious burns and another person taken to hospital after inhaling smoke.
Four more people were treated at the scene for minor burns and breathing problems, officials said. About 50 evacuees were being housed at a local cultural centre.
Antonio Sanz, Andalusia’s acting minister for health, the presidency and emergencies, called the fire the region’s most devastating to date and described it as an unprecedented tragedy. In remarks reported by Al Jazeera, he said Andalusia was in mourning and expressed support for Almeria and those affected.
Regional outlet La Voz de Almeria reported that the disaster appears to be the deadliest fire in Andalusia’s recent history, exceeding known death tolls from fires in the 20th and 21st centuries.
Firefighting effort
More than 300 emergency personnel were working to contain the blaze, according to regional authorities. The deployment included 150 specialists from Spain’s Military Emergency Unit, known as UME.
Heavy smoke forced traffic officials to shut two major highways in the area, authorities said. Investigators have not determined the cause of the fire, though local media reported that a fallen power line may have ignited dry vegetation.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on social media that emergency services, security forces and UME personnel had been mobilised. He offered condolences to families of those killed, wished the injured a swift recovery and urged residents to take care.
Sanchez had said earlier this year that Spain planned its largest summer wildfire response, according to Al Jazeera. The latest fire follows early summer heatwaves across Western Europe in May and June that left large areas of land dry and more exposed to wildfires.
The World Meteorological Organization has said Europe is warming at more than twice the global average. That trend, according to the organisation, is making extended heat episodes more likely.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.