Spain battles to contain one of its deadliest wildfires as at least 12 killed

Officials in Bedar said some of those who died did not follow the recommended evacuation route, but it is unclear how well that guidance was conveyed.

Neither Spanish authorities nor the Foreign Office in London disclosed the identity of the deceased.

Sanz said rapid fire was complex and the majority, or even all, of the victims may have been foreign nationals.

Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot said many Belgians had second homes in the country and consular services were trying to contact “Belgians they could not contact”.

The Andalusian branch of the national weather agency AEMET said conditions on Saturday would be “considerably more favorable” with moderate winds and cool air.

This fire, in which at least 12 people died, is already among the deadliest forest fires in Spanish history.

While 20 people lost their lives in a fire on the Canary Island La Gomera in 1984, 21 people, including nine children, died in a forest fire near Lloret de Mar in northeastern Spain in 1979.

Climate change is increasing temperatures around the world, and Europe is the fastest-warming continent, warming at twice the global average, according to the Copernicus climate service.

This leads to increased summer heatwaves, greater pressure on Europe’s water resources and more intense forest fires.