Spain Wildfire: 13 Dead, 10 Still Missing After Massive Forest Fire in Almeria

The death toll from the devastating forest wildfire in Almeria, a province in southeastern Spain, has risen to 13, while regional authorities have announced that the fire has now been stabilised. According to the latest official figures, seven injured people remain hospitalised, including three in critical condition. Spain's public broadcaster RTVE reported that many of those affected by the wildfire are foreign nationals. The blaze broke out on Thursday near the municipality of Los Gallardos in Almeria, which is part of the southern Spanish autonomous community of Andalusia. According to reports, the wildfire has burned nearly 7,000 hectares of land. Authorities said 10 people officially listed as missing remain unaccounted for. With the fire now stabilised, emergency response officials have begun reducing the emergency alert level and allowing more evacuated residents to return to their homes. Earlier, around 600 residents were permitted to return on Saturday. The cause of the wildfire remains under investigation. Officials believe the most likely cause was the collapse of an electricity pole or power cable, although the inquiry is still ongoing. Andalusia regional government leader Juanma Moreno said on Sunday that the wildfire was no longer advancing and had been contained within its perimeter. However, he cautioned that additional work is required before authorities can officially declare the fire fully under control and extinguished. Moreno described the wildfire as the most severe in Andalusia's recent history and urged both the public and government authorities to take climate change "very seriously." He added that climate change is creating increasingly complex conditions and unprecedented wildfires that are becoming far more difficult to control.