TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Around 500 firefighters in Spain were trying to contain the fire that killed 12 people, which broke out on Thursday in the Gallardos area of Almeria province, home to many foreign residents.
After visiting the affected area, Justice Minister Felix Bolanos said, "The fire has not spread at all today," adding that the burned area remained at 6,600 hectares (16,300 acres).
He said calmer winds and higher air humidity levels were helping firefighting efforts and expressed hope that the flames could be brought under control soon.
Extreme heat, wind fuel Spain's fast-moving wildfire
Authorities suspect the wildfire started when a power cable broke as Spain sweltered in scorching temperatures, which exceeded 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in recent weeks.
The fire, at its most intense, had spread at a rate of 100 meters (328 feet) a minute, "a level of intensity and severity we have never seen before," Bolanos said.
"It is clearly a consequence of the climate emergency the world is facing," he added.
Foreigners among Spain wildfire victims
Most of the victims who died in the fast-moving fire ignored shelter-in-place instructions, authorities said. The majority were foreigners, although their identities have not been released.
Antonio Sanz, the Andalusian regional government's emergency chief, said police did not find any more victims after searching the affected areas, but he warned that the search was still ongoing.
"That does not mean it cannot happen, but after the Civil Guard swept the area, including locations that were still hotspots, it gives us hope," he said.
Sanz added that the reported 23 missing people were misleading, as the figure referred to people their relatives had been unable to contact and who may have already reached evacuation centers or other safe places.
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