Foreigners among 11 dead in Spanish wildfires

At least 11 people have been killed in a fast-moving wildfire that tore through a tourist area in Andalusia, southern Spain, trapping motorists in burning vehicles or as they tried to flee on foot.

The authorities said many of the victims of the fire that broke out on Thursday and destroyed forests and swathes of scrubland in the Los Gallardos area were believed to be foreign nationals and 19 people were still missing.

Spain has been sweltering in extreme heat, creating tinderbox conditions favourable for the rapid spread of wildfires.

The head of the Andalusia regional government, Juan Manuel Moreno Bonilla, said four of the victims were travelling in a right-hand drive car.

"They appear to have been British nationals and were burned to death inside the car," he told Spanish radio.

Spain's head of state King Felipe VI, his wife Queen Letizia and their two daughters observed a minute of silence for the victims of the wildfire, one of the country's worst in recent years.

Around 500 firefighters, backed by Spain's Military Emergency Unit, battled to contain the flames and search for victims. Around 800 people were evacuated, including nearly 200 to temporary shelters.

Officials have warned that conditions could worsen if winds shifted.

Scientists agree that climate change caused by humans burning fossil fuels is making extreme weather events such as heatwaves more likely and more intense.

AFP reporters saw firefighters battling to douse the flames sweeping across the parched countryside, sending plumes of white smoke into the air.

There was no immediate confirmation of the identities of those who died but the authorities said many of the victims may be foreigners who were in Bedar, a small whitewashed village in Los Gallardos district.

Located about 15 kilometres (nine miles) from Spain's Mediterranean coast, Bedar is popular with foreign residents and tourists seeking a quieter alternative to the nearby beach resorts.

Bedar mayor Angel Francisco Collado said he urged some residents to flee their homes, "even those who did not want to leave".