At least 11 people have been killed in a wildfire on Spain’s southern coast, local officials said Friday, as residents continue to evacuate amid concerns that strong winds will spread the fire.
About 150 emergency workers were called in to extinguish a forest fire near the town of Los Gallardos on the Costa de Almeria, and several residents were evacuated from their homes, the Andalusian regional government said.
Antonio Sanz, the region’s health and emergencies minister, said: “This is the most devastating fire ever in this region.”
Temperature records have been broken across Europe this summer, with countries experiencing heatwaves that have brought shockingly extreme temperatures since the start of the year. Firefighters are battling wildfires in Spain, Portugal and France.
“The situation is frightening because the winds were strong and the fire spread very quickly,” Los Gallardos Mayor Francisco Reyes said.
“We had to evacuate the residents of Almocaizar and the residents of Terminar de Vedas, and now we are heading towards the campsite. As you can see, the wind is blowing from the west and that wind will reach the campsite. There are also 400 or 500 people there,” he told Reuters on Thursday.
Wildfires are not uncommon in Europe, but the climate crisis is making the country hotter and drier, leading to more intense fire seasons.
Spain set a national record last month with temperatures reaching 12.8 degrees Fahrenheit (7.1 degrees Celsius) above average on some days, according to the country’s weather service AEMET.
France and the United Kingdom also hit record temperatures last month amid unprecedented heat, with many French towns and cities facing temperatures above 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius).
Spain’s weather service has issued further heat warnings for parts of Andalusia in recent days. Video released by authorities shows firefighters battling large flames that have engulfed vegetation in the area.
Meanwhile, emergency services in neighboring France are battling a blaze that local authorities say has burned thousands of hectares of land near the Spanish border.
Recent wildfires in Portugal have produced smoke so large that it can be seen from space, according to the European Union.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed sadness over the recent death toll in the country’s south. “I would like to convey my condolences to the families of the deceased,” he said on the TV program “X.”
