A deadly wildfire in southern Spain that has claimed at least 12 lives is close to being brought under control, allowing hundreds of evacuated residents to return to their homes while emergency crews continue efforts to fully stabilize the blaze.
Regional emergency chief Antonio Sanz said approximately 600 of the nearly 1,500 residents evacuated from affected communities in AlmerÃa province were cleared to return after firefighters made significant progress in containing the fire.
“The attack carried out today and the stabilisation of much of the perimeter have made it possible to adopt these measures and continue moving, always with the utmost caution, toward a return to normality,” Sanz said in a statement issued by the Andalusian regional government.
Improved weather conditions played a key role in slowing the fire’s spread. Lighter winds and higher humidity enabled firefighting teams to launch direct attacks on the flames after several days of battling rapidly changing conditions.
Justice Minister Félix Bolaños said emergency crews had taken advantage of the favorable weather to move closer to bringing the wildfire under control. He added that the burned area remained at approximately 6,600 hectares, with no significant advance reported during the previous day.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is expected to visit the affected region on Monday to assess the damage and meet local authorities and emergency responders.
The wildfire tore through the area at speeds of up to 100 meters per minute, leaving behind widespread destruction. Burned-out vehicles remain scattered along several roads where some people became trapped while trying to escape the fast-moving flames.
Authorities have confirmed 12 deaths but cautioned that the final number of victims has yet to be established. Officials said the number of missing people remains uncertain until forensic teams complete autopsies and identify recovered bodies.
Investigators believe several of those who died may be foreign nationals. The identification process has been slowed because many relatives live outside Spain, making it more difficult to obtain DNA samples needed for confirmation.
Despite the improved outlook, search operations are continuing across the fire zone. Civil Guard officers are conducting another inspection of affected communities to ensure no victims remain undiscovered.
Virginia Barcones, secretary-general for Civil Protection, said officers had already searched more than 250 homes during earlier operations and would now complete one final sweep of the area.
“The Civil Guard has entered more than 250 homes to verify that no one was inside, and it will now carry out one final sweep of the area to make a complete check that no one else remains,” Barcones told Spain’s public broadcaster.
Firefighters remain on alert as they work to extinguish remaining hotspots, while authorities continue monitoring weather conditions to prevent the blaze from reigniting. Officials said residents returning to their homes should remain cautious until emergency services declare the affected areas completely safe.
