The devastating wildfire in southern Spain continued to spread on Saturday after killing at least 12 people and destroying 6,600 hectares of woods and scrubland in the Andalusian province of Almería.
However, the situation was improving as higher humidity and lighter winds facilitated the fire-fighting efforts, state broadcaster RTVE reported, citing a spokesman for around 500 emergency personnel working in the area.
The fire, thought to have been started on Thursday by a faulty power line, is concentrated around the municipalities of Los Gallardos and Bédar, some 70 kilometres north-east of the provincial capital Almería.
Speaking at the operations centre, minister Félix Bolaños said parts of the fire had already been brought under control, while the situation remained difficult in other areas. The A7 motorway, which was partially closed on Friday, has been reopened.
The flames were raging near popular Mediterranean beaches such as Playa de Mojácar. Just under 1,500 people had to leave their homes and a campsite, including tourists mainly from the United Kingdom.
The fire trapped and killed several people on the streets during the first night, hours after it broke out. According to authorities, the victims were trying to flee from the flames but chose the wrong escape route. Eight people were seriously injured.
Based on various evidence, the authorities are almost certain that several British and Belgian nationals are among the dead. However, the victims first had to be identified, which was proving difficult, they added.
Meanwhile, the search for possible further victims continued. The Guardia Civil (Civil Guard) police unit focused its efforts on the municipality of Bédar, where authorities said the fire had spread especially quickly and unexpectedly.
Emergency services systematically searched local houses one by one. According to official figures, the search for 23 people is still ongoing. However, only seven missing person reports have been filed so far.
Spain, along with its Iberian neighbour Portugal and other European countries, has for weeks been plagued by a spate of wildfires.
Since the start of the year, large-scale fires in Spain alone have destroyed more than 60,000 hectares of land, according to data from the European Commission’s Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS).
