At least 12 people were killed in a wildfire in southern Spain, and another 19 are considered missing, Financial Times reports.
Authorities in Andalusia confirmed that people died overnight in a wooded area of Almería province. They described the fire as “very complex” and said it was spreading at high speed.
According to preliminary information, four of those killed may have been British citizens: the car they were in had right-hand drive.
The cause of the fire has not yet been officially established. Spanish authorities said that, according to eyewitnesses, the blaze may have started because of a fallen power line.
Antonio Sanz, the official responsible for emergencies in Andalusia, said the fire spread “at extremely high speed” through the Los Gallardos area, where many scattered houses are located among woodland. According to him, some of those killed had probably tried to abandon their cars and escape the fire on foot.
June temperatures were 3.05°C above the 1991–2020 average
In addition to those killed and missing, four people suffered severe burns, and another four sustained less serious injuries. Several hundred firefighters and military personnel continue to battle the blaze.
The fire occurred amid another heat wave in Europe. This week, temperatures in Spain and France reached 40°C, while June was the hottest on record for Western Europe, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service.
Copernicus notes that drought, strong winds, and extreme heat increase the risk of wildfires in Western and Central Europe, especially on the Iberian Peninsula and in southern France.