Fires in Spain/ 12 dead and many missing, what caused the massive flames ‘devouring’ the country

The fire broke out on Thursday afternoon in the municipality of Los Gallardos, in Almería province, around 300 kilometers northeast of Málaga. Some of the victims were trapped in their vehicles by the flames and burned to death, Spanish state broadcaster RTVE reported.

Four people died in their vehicle

Many of the injured have been taken to hospitals and are receiving medical treatment. According to the authorities, 23 people are still reported missing. Antonio Sanz said that four people lost their lives while trying to flee by car.

They are likely to have been British, as their vehicle had the steering wheel on the right-hand side. Seven other people were found dead; they are believed to have abandoned their vehicles and tried to escape on foot. The victims have not yet been officially identified.

Possible cause: a snapped power line

Authorities are investigating the possibility that the fire was caused by a broken power line that fell onto extremely dry vegetation. Emergency services received more than 150 calls from residents reporting the fire. Witnesses said a fallen cable had sparked the blaze. However, the authorities have still not definitively confirmed this version. The incident happened near a major road, and the flames spread quickly toward the surrounding forested areas.

No alert sent through the mobile network

According to the prime minister of Andalusia, Juanma Moreno, experts had recommended against sending an alert through the mobile phone network because the situation would have required several simultaneous warnings, which was not technically possible.

“An unprecedented tragedy”

As a precaution, more than 1,000 residents of the surrounding areas were evacuated. A campsite, although not affected by the flames, was also emptied for safety reasons. More than 460 emergency personnel are battling the fire, which has spread across more than 3,100 hectares.

Firefighters, wildfire specialists and the Spanish military civil protection unit (UME) are taking part in the operation. Firefighting planes and helicopters are supporting the effort from the air.

The Health Minister described the event as an “unprecedented tragedy,” calling it the wildfire with the most severe consequences Andalusia has experienced so far.

Heatwave fuels fires

Spain, like Portugal and France, is experiencing an intense heatwave. In some regions, the highest alert level has been declared for extreme temperatures. Dry weather and high temperatures are fueling the outbreak and spread of fires.

According to European Commission data, since the start of the year, fires in Spain have destroyed more than 50,000 hectares of land. In France and Portugal as well, firefighters have in recent days faced several major wildfires./DW