One of Spain's deadliest wildfires kills at least 12 people, with 23 others missing
A severe wildfire in Spain's Almeria province has resulted in at least 12 deaths and left 23 people missing. Authorities believe the fire may have been sparked by a fallen power line, and many victims died while attempting to flee the flames on foot.
Why it matters
This incident highlights the increasing danger of wildfires in Europe exacerbated by climate change and extreme heat waves.
MADRID — One of Spain's deadliest wildfires on record killed 12 people overnight into Friday, authorities said, as soaring temperatures grip much of the country.
Several victims of the fire in the southern province of Almeria, a popular holiday destination, were found inside burnt-out vehicles and were thought to have died while trying to flee the flames.
Eight people have been injured and a further 23 are unaccounted for, Andalusia's regional leader Juan Manuel Moreno said. Some 150 firefighters and 220 soldiers from Spain's military emergency unit were battling the blaze, which has consumed more than 3,200 hectares (7,900 acres) of forest and farmland.
Regional emergency authorities said four British nationals and other unspecified foreign nationals appeared to be among the dead.
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