The councillor has warned that residents must not leave the affected areas of their own accord or use alternative routes without authorisation, as such decisions could jeopardise both their safety and the work of the emergency services deployed on the ground.

Sanz has described the wildfire that broke out in Los Gallardos on Thursday as a “tragedy” as the provisional death toll currently stands at 11, with several people being treated for severe burns in the Virgen del Rocío hospital in Seville and others in hospitals around Almería province.

The operation deployed to tackle the fire comprises around 400 personnel; 124 vehicles and some twenty aerial resources. However, Mr Sanz explained that the challenging terrain in the area and the large number of scattered homes hampered fire-fighting efforts, preventing the use of heavy machinery in some places and forcing the authorities to prioritise the protection of both the population and their homes.

During his appearance, the minister emphasised the importance of following the instructions issued by the emergency services and sent a strong message to the public: “These are not recommendations, they are instructions. If the authorities instruct you to evacuate and tell you which route to take, it is vital that you follow those instructions.”

The mayor of Bédar, Ángel Collado Fernández, has acknowledged that the impact of the fire is greater because it is a small town, where he knew many of the victims personally and had even officiated at the weddings of some of them.

In a statement Collado explained that some of the victims had refused to leave their homes and took the opportunity to send a message to the public. “Human life comes first; material possessions come second,” he emphasised, stressing the importance of always heeding evacuation orders issued by the emergency services.