At least twelve people have been killed by a large forest fire in southern Spain. Regional authorities in the Andalusia region report that 23 people are missing.

The source of the fire is near the city of Almería. About 150 firefighters are battling the fire. Hundreds of people have been evacuated.

All fatalities occurred in the small town of Bédar, about 50 kilometers from Almería. Several people were also injured. According to the Spanish newspaper El País, it is the deadliest fire in Andalusia since these numbers have been recorded.

Dried riverbed

According to Spanish media, the fire started after a power cable became loose. The extremely dry ground then caught fire, after which the fire spread quickly. According to El Pais(opens in new window) several victims were found in their car. The Spanish army is now assisting the fire brigade to extinguish the fire. Several roads in the region are also closed.

According to Andalusia’s acting Minister of Health and Emergencies, Antonio Sanz, most or even all of the fatalities come from abroad. They allegedly tried to find a way out via a dried up riverbed, the EFE news agency quoted him as saying.

Spanish Prime Minister Sánchez has expressed his condolences to the relatives of the victims. He speaks of “tremendous sadness and dejection”.

Large parts of Andalusia are currently experiencing a heat wave. The ground is also dry and the wind is strong, making it easy for forest fires to spread. Due to the heat wave, code orange applies in the area.

Forest fires are also raging in neighboring France. A fire in the French department of Drôme has been raging for a week and has now spread to more than 3,700 hectares. Last night, regional authorities therefore called on 400 people to evacuate.