Eleven Killed, 19 Missing in One of Spain's Deadliest Wildfires

Europa Press via DW

Prolonged heat waves dry out vegetation, which increases the risk of forest fires

At least 11 people have been killed and 19 remain missing after a devastating wildfire swept through Almería in southern Spain, one of the country's most popular holiday destinations. Firefighters continued battling the blaze on Friday as they worked to bring one of Spain's deadliest wildfires on record under control.

Spanish authorities said most of the victims appeared to be foreign nationals who ignored official instructions to remain indoors and shelter in place.

The flames had spread extremely rapidly in a wooded area around the town of Los Gallardos in the Almeria province, particularly affecting the nearby hamlet of Bedar, said Antonio Sanz, head of emergencies in the region of Andalusia.

He said the authorities had told residents to ⁠stay in their homes and that the deaths appeared to have occurred when people decided to try to flee in their cars.

Four people, who appeared to be British because the steering wheel of their car was on the right-hand side, died in one vehicle, he said. Seven others were found dead after apparently abandoning their cars and attempting to escape on foot along a route that was not part of the evacuation plan.

"The consequences have been terrible. Everything seems to indicate that, in the case of the dead, the majority - or all of them - are foreign nationals," Sanz said.

The tragedy has drawn comparisons with neighbouring Portugal's devastating wildfires in June 2017, when a major blaze during an intense heatwave claimed more than 60 lives and injured dozens of others. Around half of the victims were trapped and burned to death in their vehicles as they attempted to flee the advancing flames.

Sanz urged residents to follow official instructions and avoid taking risks ‌as authorities ⁠focused on saving lives. Another four people were being treated in hospital for serious burns.

Juan Manuel Moreno, head of Andalusia's regional government, told Cadena Ser radio another 19 people were still missing.

The fire is believed to have started when a power cable came loose and fell on a patch of dry scrubland, Pedro Ridao, mayor of the nearby town of Antas, told state broadcaster TVE.

"It was mainly the wind that was blowing in the afternoon that caused it to spread. As the ⁠afternoon wore on, we could see the fire was racing ahead, devouring farmhouses, holiday homes and cars, so we sprang into action," Ridao said.

The area has many ravines, which complicates access for emergency services, Ridao added.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in a post on X he felt "enormous sadness and devastation" over the consequences of the ⁠fire, offering his condolences to the families of the victims.

Early summer heatwaves across western Europe in May and June have left vast areas of land parched, creating ideal conditions for wildfires and significantly increasing the risk of fast-spreading blazes this year.

According to the World Meteorological Organization, Europe is warming at more than twice the global average, making prolonged periods of extreme heat increasingly likely.

The latest tragedy is Spain's deadliest wildfire since 2005, when 11 firefighters were killed in a blaze in the central province of Guadalajara that was caused by a barbecue. That disaster prompted sweeping reforms to Spain's wildfire prevention measures and emergency response systems.

Source: Reuters



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