Officials in Bedar noted that some of the victims had not taken the recommended evacuation route, though it is uncertain how clearly the guidance was communicated.
Neither the Spanish authorities nor the British Foreign Office in London have disclosed the identities of the deceased.
Sanz explained that the fire spread swiftly and that the majority, or possibly all, of the victims could have been foreign nationals.
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot stated that many Belgians own secondary residences in the region, and consular officials are attempting to reach those they have been unable to contact.
The Andalusian office of the national weather agency AEMET forecast that Saturday’s conditions would be “considerably more favorable,” featuring moderate winds and cooler temperatures.
With at least 12 fatalities, the fire ranks among the deadliest wildfires in Spanish history.
In 1984, a fire on the Canary Island of La Gomera claimed 20 lives, and in 1979, a forest fire near Lloret de Mar in northeastern Spain resulted in 21 deaths, including nine children.
Climate change is elevating global temperatures, and Europe is warming at twice the rate of the global average, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service.
These conditions are intensifying summer heatwaves, straining Europe’s water resources, and fueling more severe wildfires.
