The huge fire that swept through southern Spain has so far caused at least 12 deaths and has burned about 66 hectares of land since Thursday, while authorities say the situation is starting to improve. The regional head of rescue services, Antonio Sant, said that weather conditions overnight have favored operations to extinguish the flames.

"The situation changed for the better overnight and the weather conditions allow us to face the day with better prospects than yesterday. This is the first day that we will be able to intervene aggressively against the fire," he said. Until now, emergency teams had been operating mainly defensively due to the intensity of the flames and the unfavorable conditions.

Hundreds of firefighters and military personnel continue to battle the flames, supported by air support, while about 1,500 residents have been evacuated from the endangered areas. Sant said that so far there have been no reports of new victims, a development he described as encouraging. “The gendarmerie has checked the areas and has not found any other people. This does not mean that there cannot be other cases, but at least it gives us hope,” he declared.

On the other hand, the Spanish Interior Minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, called for caution regarding reports of missing persons. According to him, these are not 23 missing persons, as initially reported, but people with whom their families have not been able to establish contact and who may be in reception centers. The minister added that so far 7 official reports of missing persons have been registered, while authorities are awaiting the results of the autopsy and the identification of the bodies to determine the final balance of the tragedy.