LOS GALLARDOS, Spain: At least 12 people died while trying to escape a wildfire in southern Spain, and 23 others were still missing on July 10, officials said. Firefighters were working hard to control one of the deadliest fires in the country's history.

Officials said one victim was Spanish, while the others were likely foreign nationals who ignored advice to stay indoors. Instead, they tried to escape by car as the fire spread quickly through a forest near the town of Los Gallardos in Almeria province. Antonio Sanz, the head of emergencies in Andalusia, explained this.

The area is a popular tourist spot and home to many foreigners, especially from France, Britain and Belgium.

Four people, believed to be British because their car had a right-hand steering wheel, died in one vehicle. Eight others were found dead after leaving their cars and trying to escape on foot along a route that was not part of the official evacuation plan. Authorities said many of the burned bodies still needed to be identified through DNA tests.

Andalusia's regional leader Juan Manuel Moreno told reporters that the fire spread very quickly and described it as moving like gunpowder. He added that it was one of the fastest and most complex fires the region had ever faced.

Moreno said the fire had already destroyed about 3,200 hectares (7,900 acres) of land, and stronger winds were expected later in the day.

He also said some of the missing people were likely hikers who were caught off guard in the forest, adding that rescue workers had found several walking sticks at the scene.

Officials said the situation was similar to a deadly wildfire in neighboring Portugal in June 2017, when more than 60 people died during a heatwave, with many victims trapped in their cars.

A series of early summer heatwaves has left much of Spain dry and at high risk of fires, leading to an early start to the wildfire season.

This year, about 57,000 hectares have already burned. This is about half of the average annual total over the past 20 years and accounts for 40 percent of all land burned in the European Union, according to the European Forest Fire Information System.

A firefighter, Roman Garcia, said on the state broadcaster TVE that such fires usually occur in August, but they are now starting earlier because plants dry out sooner.

Last August's record heatwave caused the worst wildfire season in 30 years, burning 330,000 hectares, which is an area twice the size of London.

At that time, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez admitted that wildfire prevention and forest management were clearly inadequate and promised to take all necessary steps to prevent such disasters in the future.

Sanchez offered his condolences to the victims' families and said he felt great sadness and devastation.

As authorities worked to identify the dead and find the missing, worried relatives from around the world posted messages on social media and local forums.

One woman said her daughter, who had been driving a red Ford Fiesta with her dog, was missing. Another person from the United States said her brother was part of a group of 10 people who had tried to escape through a valley near a stream.

Moreno said the fire may have started when a broken power cable fell into a roadside ditch and spread quickly, covering 15 kilometers in just two hours. However, a spokesperson for the utility company Endesa said the cable was not carrying electricity at the time.

The death toll has already passed that of a 2005 wildfire in Guadalajara province, where 11 firefighters died after a fire started from a barbecue.

Moreno warned that Spain could face a very difficult wildfire season, as heavy winter rainfall led to vigorous plant growth that later dried out, becoming easy fuel for fires. He added that there was still a long summer ahead.