At least 11 killed in southern Spain wildfire

British tourists and second-home owners in southern Spain are being urged to follow local evacuation guidance after a wildfire in Almería province claimed at least 11 lives, with four of the dead believed to be British.

The blaze, which broke out near the village of Los Gallardos and spread through nearby woodland towards Bédar, is understood to have started after a power line came down.

Regional emergencies minister Antonio Sanz said the fire had spread with unusual speed, and that residents had initially been told to shelter in their homes rather than evacuate, reported Reuters.

The four British victims were found together in a right-hand-drive car; seven more died after apparently leaving their vehicles and trying to escape on foot along a route outside the official evacuation plan, reported the BBC.

Nineteen people remain unaccounted for, and Andalusia’s regional president, Juanma Moreno, has cautioned that the final death toll may climb. 

More than 150 firefighters are working to bring the blaze under control, reported Reuters.

Four people are being treated in hospital for serious burns, with search operations continuing amid fears that further victims may still be found.

Sanz asked residents to stick to official guidance and avoid unnecessary risks while crews focus on saving lives.

It is Spain’s deadliest wildfire since 2005, when 11 firefighters died battling a blaze in Guadalajara.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said he was devastated by the loss of life and confirmed the military’s emergency unit had been deployed to help fight the fire.

It comes days after a separate wildfire in southern France forced more than 10,000 people to leave their homes near the Spanish border, following a prolonged heatwave across western Europe.