The death toll from a wildfire in Spain’s Almeria province has reached 13, with seven injured individuals still hospitalized, three in serious condition. Many affected by the blaze are foreign nationals, as reported by Spain’s public broadcaster RTVE. The fire, which started near the Los Gallardos municipality in Almeria, has scorched around 7,000 hectares of land.
Regional authorities have managed to stabilize the fire, allowing for a reduction in emergency response levels. Approximately 1,000 evacuees have been permitted to return home, following the containment of the blaze within its perimeter. However, ten officially registered missing persons are still unaccounted for.
The cause of the wildfire remains under investigation, with a leading theory suggesting it might have been sparked by the collapse of an electricity pole or cable. Juanma Moreno, the head of Andalusia’s regional government, confirmed that the fire’s progression has halted, though efforts are ongoing to fully control and extinguish it. Moreno emphasized the severity of the situation, labeling it the most significant wildfire in Andalusia’s recent history.
