Spain Wildfire Kills 12, Dozens Missing as Heatwave Intensifies Across Europe
A wildfire in southern Spain has become one of the deadliest in the country's history, killing at least 12 people and leaving 23 others missing, authorities said Friday. The fire broke out in a hamlet near the Sierra de Los Filabres mountains in the province of Almeria, a popular tourist destination.
Eight people were injured, and the missing include four British nationals and other foreign nationals, according to regional emergency services. Many victims died while trying to flee the flames, some in their vehicles and others on foot. Antonio Sanz, head of Andalusia's emergency services, said one group attempted to escape via a dry riverbed that became a 'death trap.'
The blaze has consumed more than 3,200 hectares of forest and farmland. Some 150 firefighters and 220 soldiers from Spain's military emergency unit are battling the fire. The cause has not been confirmed, but initial reports suggest a fallen power line may have sparked the flames.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed condolences, writing on social media: 'Immense sadness and desolation in the face of the terrible consequences of the fire affecting the province of Almeria.'
The fire comes as much of Europe faces intense heatwaves. Spain has experienced frequent and severe heat in recent years, with temperatures often exceeding 40°C. In June, Spain recorded over 1,000 excess deaths attributed to heat. Europe is the world's fastest-warming continent, temperatures increasing twice as fast as the global average since the 1980s, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service.
France is also in the grip of its third heatwave of the summer, with temperatures reaching 40°C in western and central areas. French authorities have warned of very high wildfire risk. A large fire in the eastern Pyrenees near the Spanish border has burned about 5,000 hectares and forced the evacuation of more than 10,000 people, though it has now decreased in intensity.
Scientists note that climate change, driven by burning fossil fuels, is exacerbating heat and dryness, making regions more vulnerable to wildfires. Spain's last fire season burned over 393,000 hectares. In 2017, a wildfire in neighboring Portugal killed 66 people.
