Almeria, Jul 10 (V7N)- At least 12 people have been killed and six others injured after a fast-moving wildfire swept through the Los Guirados area of Almeria Province in southeastern Spain, as an intense heatwave continues to grip southern Europe.
According to the BBC, the regional government of Andalusia said several victims were found inside burned vehicles, indicating they may have been trapped while attempting to flee the advancing flames.
Witnesses claimed the fire may have started after a power line collapsed, although authorities have not yet confirmed the cause of the blaze. An official investigation is underway.
Wildfires have spread across parts of Spain, France and Portugal as temperatures in many areas approach 40 degrees Celsius. Hundreds of firefighters have been deployed to battle the flames, while thousands of residents have been evacuated from their homes as a precaution.
Earlier this year, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced the country's largest-ever emergency response plan to combat the growing threat of summer wildfires. Spain's Military Emergency Unit (UME) has since joined efforts to contain the Los Guirados fire.
Spain also recorded its highest average daily temperature since 1950 in June, with forecasters warning that temperatures could reach 42 degrees Celsius in some regions.
According to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), more than 393,000 hectares of land were destroyed by wildfires in Spain last year—more than six times the average recorded between 2006 and 2024.
Emergency authorities have urged residents in high-risk areas to follow evacuation orders and remain alert as hot, dry conditions continue to fuel wildfire activity across southern Europe.
END/SMA/AJ
