One of Spain’s deadliest wildfires on record killed at least 12 people overnight into Friday as a relentless heatwave and strong winds fueled a blaze that tore through a semi-arid village in the southern province of Almería, authorities said. The fire, which erupted Thursday evening near the Sierra de Los Filabres mountains, has left eight people injured and 23 others missing, according to Andalusia’s regional leader Juan Manuel Moreno. Emergency services described the scene as a “death trap,” with most victims found inside burnt-out vehicles after attempting to flee on foot or by car.

The blaze consumed more than 3,200 hectares of forest and farmland, forcing hundreds of firefighters and 220 soldiers from Spain’s military emergency unit to battle the flames. Regional emergency authorities confirmed that four of the dead were British nationals, with other victims believed to be foreign tourists visiting the popular holiday destination. Antonio Sanz, president of Andalusia’s emergency services, said the majority of those killed appeared to be foreigners, adding that many ignored shelter-in-place instructions. “The consequences have been terrible,” Sanz told reporters. “Everything seems to indicate that, in the case of the deceased, we are dealing for the most part, if not entirely, with foreign nationals.”

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed his condolences, writing on X that he felt “immense sadness and desolation” in the face of the tragedy. The fire broke out in a hamlet near Los Gallardos, a small village in the Los Filabres mountains, where witnesses reported a fallen power line igniting dry vegetation. The blaze spread rapidly, trapping victims in a dry riverbed that Sanz described as “a death trap.” Seven people died while on foot after abandoning their cars, likely searching for an escape route.

The disaster comes as Spain grapples with a severe heatwave, with temperatures exceeding 40°C (104°F) across much of the country. Wind and drought conditions have exacerbated the crisis, turning small fires into uncontrollable infernos. In June, Spain recorded over 1,000 excess deaths linked to extreme heat, underscoring the growing threat posed by climate change. Europe is the world’s fastest-warming continent, with temperatures rising twice as fast as the global average since the 1980s, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service.

The wildfire in Almería is now one of the deadliest in Spain’s recent history, surpassing last year’s total wildfire fatalities. Authorities have not ruled out arson as a possible cause, though investigations are ongoing. The scale of the tragedy has drawn international attention, with European leaders and climate advocates highlighting the urgent need for adaptation measures. “Extreme weather and devastating wildfires are impacting millions of people across Europe,” the European Council’s president wrote on X, offering condolences to the families of the victims.

As firefighters continue to battle the blaze, the search for the missing has intensified, with officials warning that the death toll may rise. The disaster has also sparked debates about Spain’s preparedness for worsening wildfires, as climate projections indicate more frequent and intense heatwaves in the coming decades. For now, the focus remains on containing the flames and supporting the communities affected by what officials have called an “unprecedented tragedy.”

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12 die in wildfire in Spain amid soaring temperatures One of Spains deadliest wildfires has killed 12 people, authorities report, as soaring temperatures grip the country

abcnews · about 2 hours ago

Spain wildfire: Several killed in Almeria, many missing