12 dead, 23 missing: Spain's deadliest fire traps families in Almería

ALMERÍA, Spain – A wildfire in southeastern Spain has become the deadliest of the century, killing at least 12 people and leaving 23 others missing. The fire started on Thursday afternoon near the town of Los Gallardos in the Almería province. The blaze has already destroyed more land than any other fire in Andalusia's history. Strong winds from the east, a long drought, and the area's steep hills are making it very hard for firefighters to control the flames. Louise, a British woman who lived in the area, described her escape. She gathered her family, friends, and dogs and tried to drive south to Los Gallardos. But flames blocked the road. "We turned around and went the other way. We didn't realize we had no gas. We were five people and two dogs in two cars, and neither had gas. We were stupid," she said. The people in the other car drove through the flames to reach Los Gallardos. "They told us the car got extremely hot. Luckily they are fine, but we have not been able to find some of our friends. We fear the worst," Louise added. The fire started in the hills near Bédar, a village just 8 kilometers from Los Gallardos. Many residents watched the flames all night. "We could not sleep. Our balcony faces the hills and we saw the fire all night. We were very scared because we have three children," said Raúl, a local resident. Emergency services set up a medical station in the Los Gallardos cultural center. Six beds and a triage area were ready, but they stayed empty. "We did not have to treat anyone here, but we spent the whole night helping the injured in other areas," said one health worker. The A-7 highway acted as a barrier, protecting Los Gallardos from the flames. But the fire has destroyed homes in nearby areas like Bédar and Alfaix. Police have blocked access to Bédar, forcing evacuations. "My neighbor refused to leave. She stayed in her house in Bédar, but the police are forcing her to evacuate," Louise said. Local residents showed strong solidarity. When the mayor asked for supplies, workers at a supermarket reopened after closing. "We formed a human chain to work as fast as possible. One baked bread, another cut cold meats, another made sandwiches, and another packed them," said Vanesa, an employee. The fire continues to burn. Officials say the combination of dry conditions, strong winds, and difficult terrain will keep the region on high alert for days.