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At least 12 people were killed and six others injured after a devastating wildfire swept through southern Spain, regional emergency services in Andalusia said early Friday.

Emergency officials said in a post on X that several victims were found inside their vehicles as the blaze tore through the area.

The Andalusian regional government said the fire broke out on Thursday afternoon in the municipality of Los Gallardos in Almería province, about 300 kilometers northeast of Málaga.

Andalusia's Interior Minister, Antonio Sanz, described the incident as an "unprecedented tragedy," calling it the most destructive wildfire the region has experienced to date.

Around 150 firefighters, supported by five fire engines and additional emergency personnel, are battling the blaze in Los Gallardos. Authorities have also evacuated residents from several nearby communities as a precaution.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed his "deep sorrow and sadness" over the devastating consequences of the wildfire in a post on X.

Spain has been battling a series of wildfires in recent months. Since the beginning of the year, more than 50,000 hectares of land have been destroyed by fires, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) of the European Commission.

The country has also experienced repeated heatwaves in recent years, with temperatures at times exceeding 40 degrees Celsius, creating conditions that favor the rapid spread of large-scale wildfires.