Overview
- The fire began by the N-340A and raced through dry scrub under strong gusts, with officials saying the front advanced roughly 15 kilometres in about two hours after it started on Thursday.
- Regional authorities have confirmed 12 fatalities, dozens of evacuees and 23 people who remain unlocated while eight injured are being treated, some flown to specialist burn units.
- More than 400 emergency personnel from Plan Infoca, the Unidad Militar de Emergencias and local services are on scene conducting house-to-house searches and recovery operations.
- Early investigations point to a fallen electrical cable as the likely ignition source, but Endesa and Red Eléctrica deny ownership and probes are under way to establish responsibility for the line.
- The decision not to send a single mass Es-Alert message has provoked political criticism and renewed calls for year-round prevention staff and permanent wildfire resources.