A catastrophic wildfire burning in the Almeria region of southern Spain has claimed the lives of 12 people, the Emergency Agency of Andalucía confirmed in an early Friday announcement.
Antonio Sanz, the Minister of the Presidency, Health, and Emergencies, described the disaster in stark terms, calling it “the most devastating fire to date in our region” and labeling the situation an “unprecedented tragedy.”
More than 150 firefighters have been mobilized in an effort to bring the blaze under control.
Initial reports had placed the death toll at six. Juanma Moreno, who leads Spain’s southern Andalusia region, addressed those earlier confirmed deaths in a post on X, writing: “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.”
