According to Miguel Reyes, the fire in the densely populated area is not under control.
The wind is not helping us. We have extensive material damage, but it can be repaired - life cannot, says the mayor.
The wind is reported to have shifted to the southwest on Friday, which, together with the high temperatures, is making firefighting efforts more difficult.
Stuck in a car
The dead are feared to be foreign tourists who tried to leave the area via a route other than the evacuation route and were caught in the flames. Four found in a car are suspected to be British as the steering wheel in the vehicle was on the right side, AFP reports.
Currently, 23 people are missing in the area, writes El País , citing the Andalusian regional government.
TT has contacted the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has announced via email that it is not aware of any Swedes among the injured or dead.
According to the BBC , over 170 rescue workers and 24 rescue vehicles in the form of aircraft and fire engines have been sent to the scene.
Spain's Military Emergency Unit (UME) says it has also deployed 220 soldiers and 70 vehicles to fight the fire.
Meanwhile, the Spanish Civil Guard (Guardia Civil) says that over 160 police and law enforcement personnel are working to extinguish the fire. They are helping with evacuations, traffic control and the work of locating the source of the fire, writes El País .
The cause of the fire is still unclear. Witnesses say it may have started when a power line fell and set the dry ground on fire. The flames spread quickly.
Heat wave prevails
The wildfire broke out in connection with a heat wave. In the city of Almería, temperatures are currently around 30 degrees. Other parts of Spain and Europe have also been ravaged by fires during the summer, resulting in great destruction.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez regrets the deaths and writes on X that he feels "enormous sadness and despair in the face of the terrible consequences of the fire."
The European Commission has activated its Copernicus satellite service to support Spain in monitoring the spread of the wildfire.
And the Andalusian region has declared three days of national mourning to honor the victims of Los Gallardos. This means that broadcasts of tonight's match between Spain and Belgium will be canceled.
