Spain wildfire death toll rises to 12 as firefighters battle blaze

A firefighting helicopter drops water as a forest fire approaches a residential area in Calonge, Catalonia. (EPA Images pic)

ALMERIA: Twelve people were killed in a wildfire in Almeria in southern Spain, with 150 firefighters working to put out the blaze, the Emergency Agency of Andalucia said early on Friday.

Minister of the presidency, health, and emergencies Antonio Sanz called the fire “the most devastating fire to date in our region” and described the situation as an “unprecedented tragedy”.

Earlier, there were reports of six deaths from the wildfire.

“Our deepest condolences to the families of the six people who lost their lives in the Los Gallardos and the affection from all of us to the municipalities affected by the fire,” Juanma Moreno, the leader of Spain’s southern Andalusia region wrote in a post on X.