Amman, July 10 (Petra)– At least 12 people were killed and six
others injured after a devastating wildfire swept through southern
Spain, regional emergency services in Andalusia said early Friday.

Emergency officials said in a post on X that several victims were
found inside their vehicles as the blaze tore through the area.

The Andalusian regional government said the fire broke out on
Thursday afternoon in the municipality of Los Gallardos in Almería
province, about 300 kilometers northeast of Málaga.

Andalusia’s Interior Minister, Antonio Sanz, described the incident
as an “unprecedented tragedy,” calling it the most destructive
wildfire the region has experienced to date.

Around 150 firefighters, supported by five fire engines and
additional emergency personnel, are battling the blaze in Los
Gallardos. Authorities have also evacuated residents from several
nearby communities as a precaution.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed his “deep sorrow and
sadness” over the devastating consequences of the wildfire in a post
on X.

Spain has been battling a series of wildfires in recent months. Since
the beginning of the year, more than 50,000 hectares of land have
been destroyed by fires, according to the European Forest Fire
Information System (EFFIS) of the European Commission.

The country has also experienced repeated heatwaves in recent years,
with temperatures at times exceeding 40 degrees Celsius, creating
conditions that favor the rapid spread of large-scale wildfires.

//Petra// MF