MADRID: At least 12 people have died in a wildfire in southern Spain today.

The bodies were found near the village of Bédar, outside Los Gallardos in Almería, while 23 people remain missing and hundreds of residents have been evacuated.

Hundreds of emergency responders are continuing efforts to contain the blaze, which officials described as one of the area’s worst wildfires.

Authorities said the fire is largely under control but warned that stronger winds could worsen the situation.

The wildfire comes amid a prolonged heatwave, with temperatures reaching around 40 degrees Celsius, fueling fires across southern Europe.