Spain wildfire death toll rises to 13 as blaze is brought under control

The death toll from the devastating wildfire in Spain's southeastern province of Almeria has risen to 13, as regional authorities confirmed that the blaze has been stabilised after burning through thousands of hectares of land.

Seven people remain in hospital, including three in a serious condition, according to the latest official update. Authorities also said 10 people reported missing are yet to be traced.

The wildfire broke out on Thursday near the municipality of Los Gallardos in Andalusia and has scorched an estimated 7,000 hectares.

With the fire no longer spreading, authorities have downgraded the emergency response and allowed around 1,000 remaining evacuees to return home. About 600 residents had already been permitted to return over the weekend.

Officials said the cause of the blaze remains under investigation, although early indications suggest it may have been triggered by the collapse of an electricity pole or power cable.

Andalusian regional president Juanma Moreno said the fire had been contained within its perimeter but warned that further work was required before it could be declared fully under control and extinguished.

Describing it as the most destructive wildfire in Andalusia's recent history, Moreno urged greater attention to the growing impact of climate change, saying increasingly extreme weather conditions were fuelling larger and more difficult-to-control wildfires.

Spain's public broadcaster RTVE reported that many of those affected by the fire are foreign nationals.

With IANS inputs