At least 12 people have been killed in forest fires in Almeria in southern Spain, Andalucía’s emergency agency has said, as firefighters continue efforts to put out the blaze.
Antonio Sanz, the regional Minister for Emergencies, said the fires were the “most devastating,” to date, describing them as an “unprecedented tragedy."
He added that 150 firefighters with five fire engines were working to put out the blaze and warned members of the public to avoid the affected areas.
Around a thousand people were evacuated from around the town of Benahavís on the Costa del Sol due to a forest fire which broke out on Thursday afternoon, the regional government said. Residents of multiple other towns in Andalucía remain evacuated from their homes.
At least six people were taken to hospital, for injuries including burns, respiratory issues and smoke inhalation.
A heatwave has spread across swathes of the country, leading to the city of Barcelona breaking its all-time heat record for the second time in three years as the temperature reached 40.7°C.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed his “immense sadness,” at the impact of the blazes in a post on X.
“I want to convey my condolences to the families of those who died in the Los Gallardos forest fire. My wishes for a speedy recovery to the injured and my solidarity with all the affected neighbors,” he said.
Sánchez added that Spain's Military Emergency Unit had been deployed to assist firefighters.
The blazes in Spain come after a wildfire burning out of control in southern France earlier this week forced the evacuation of over 10,000 people from two dozen small towns and villages near the Spanish border.
Early summer heatwaves across western Europe in May and June have parched vast areas of land, making them particularly vulnerable to wildfires this year.
Europe is warming at more than twice the global average, the World Meteorological Organization has said, making prolonged heat episodes increasingly likely.
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