Spanish firefighters battle deadly wildfire as more villages evacuated

Firefighters in Spain's southeastern Almería province are battling to control one of the country's deadliest wildfires, which has tragically claimed 12 lives and led to further village evacuations.

The blaze, fanned by strong winds, spread with alarming speed on Friday, engulfing victims as they attempted to flee. Autopsies have been completed on all 12 bodies recovered near the forested district of Bédar, north of Los Gallardos, where the fire originated. However, the identities of the victims remain unconfirmed.

Antonio Sanz, head of emergencies for the Andalusia region, described the wildfire as "complex" and acknowledged its continued advance. Despite the challenges, he praised the firefighters' efforts in preventing the fire from reaching more densely populated coastal towns. "Today is the first day we will be able to work on attacking the fire," Sanz stated, indicating a shift from purely defensive measures.

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So far we have been engaged in defense work, to prevent advances. Today is the first day we will be able to work on attacking the fire.

Authorities have downplayed the likelihood of a significant increase in the death toll, noting that seven people were formally reported missing, a lower number than the 23 informally reported earlier. Over 1,400 people had been evacuated by late Friday. The firefighting operation involves more than 500 personnel, including regional firefighters, soldiers, and national brigade specialists. Efforts are currently concentrated on the western flank of the fire, the most intense and fastest-spreading section, which has already consumed 6,600 hectares.

"The night has passed relatively well, within the complexity and dimensions of the fire," Sanz reported. "The fronts have remained less active and no new direct threats to inhabited areas have occurred." However, witnesses described the horror of the fire's rapid spread, which at one point covered 15 kilometers in just two hours.

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The night has passed relatively well, within the complexity and dimensions of the fire. The fronts have remained less active and no new direct threats to inhabited areas have occurred.