Spain makes progress in extinguishing southern wildfire

Efforts to extinguish a wildfire in southern Spain that has claimed 12 lives and scorched 6,600 hectares are showing positive signs, according to regional rescue officials. Favorable weather on Saturday allowed firefighters to actively combat the blaze, a shift from previous days focused on containment.

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Last night's developments were favorable, and the weather conditions helped us start this day with better prospects than yesterday. This is the first day we will be able to effectively fight the fire. Until now, the weather conditions and the nature of the fire only allowed us to focus on containing it and preventing its spread.

"Last night's developments were favorable, and the weather conditions helped us start this day with better prospects than yesterday," said Antonio Sanz, a regional official. "This is the first day we will be able to effectively fight the fire. Until now, the weather conditions and the nature of the fire only allowed us to focus on containing it and preventing its spread."

Hundreds of firefighters and military personnel continue their ground efforts, supported by specialized aircraft. Approximately 1,500 people have been evacuated from affected areas. "The best news so far is that no new victims have been registered," Sanz confirmed. He added that civil guards had searched all areas and found no additional people, though he cautioned that the possibility of more victims could not be ruled out.

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The best news so far is that no new victims have been registered. Civil guards have searched all areas and found no additional people. This does not mean we can rule out the possibility of more victims, but the absence of new bodies after the search operations, especially in areas still experiencing fires, gives us some hope.

Regarding missing persons, Sanz urged caution, echoing the sentiment of Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska. "We must be cautious when talking about 23 missing people, as this number is not precise. We are talking about people their families have not been able to contact, and some may be in shelters." He noted seven official reports of missing persons. Authorities await the completion of autopsies and victim identification to determine the final toll, as the reported missing individuals could be among the 12 deceased.

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We must be cautious when talking about 23 missing people, as this number is not precise. We are talking about people their families have not been able to contact, and some may be in shelters.