Almería, Spain- Firefighters continue battling a major wildfire in the municipality of Los Gallardos, in the southern Spanish province of Almería, on Saturday as the blaze remained out of control after claiming at least 12 lives in what has become one of Spain's deadliest wildfire disasters in recent years.

Emergency officials said eight people have been injured, four of them critically. Authorities are also searching for 23 unaccounted-for individuals, while seven official missing-persons reports have been filed. More than 1,400 residents have been forced to evacuate their homes as the fire, which broke out on Thursday in a rugged area of ravines and scattered rural properties, continues to threaten nearby communities.

According to the latest official figures, the wildfire has affected at least 6,600 hectares. Although the fire remains active, improving weather conditions have given firefighters their first real opportunity to gain ground.

Deadly wildfire devastates Los Gallardos in southern Spain

Antonio Sanz, Andalusia's Emergency Services Counsellor, said lighter winds and relative humidity levels of around 50% have created more favorable conditions for firefighting efforts.

"The overnight evolution of the fire has been favourable, and weather conditions allow us to face the day with better prospects than yesterday", Sanz said, adding that this would be the first day in which crews could "actively attack the fire" after several days focused solely on "defensive operations".

Spain's Minister of the Presidency, Félix Bolaños, also stressed the importance of taking advantage of the improved weather. Favorable conditions are expected to last until approximately 4 p.m. local time, offering firefighters a crucial opportunity to stabilize the fire.

He also described the blaze as exhibiting "extreme intensity", and he attributed the unprecedented fire behaviour to the effects of the climate emergency.

Military personnel from Spain's Military Emergence Unit (UME) remain deployed to the disaster zone, concentrating on preventing the fire from advancing northward. Teams are also working to detect and extinguish spot fires near the A-7 motorway to stop the flames from spreading into new areas.

Authorities also confirmed that Spain's Guardia Civil has arrested two individuals for refusing to comply with mandatory evacuation orders in areas threatened by the Los Gallardos wildfire. According to police, the pair ignored repeated instructions from officers and returned to a high-risk zone despite the ongoing emergency.

Wildfire emergency spreads across Spain

The wildfire crisis extends beyond Almería. Several other wildfires continue to burn across Spain, with five new forest fires reported yesterday in the Valencia region on Friday. In Castilla y León, emergency services are also battling a significant blaze near El Barraco, in the province of Ávila, where roughly 250 hectares have already been destroyed.

In Tarragona, Catalonia, firefigters have stabilised the fire in Mont-roig del Camp, after the blaze prompted precautionary confinement orders for more than 1,000 residents living in nearby communities. Residents of the area, were instructed to remain indoors as a precaution, with Civil Protection advising people to keep doors and windows closed until the situation is declared safe.

Catherine Carey

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Spain battles deadly wildfire as firefighters race to contain blaze