At least 13 people are confirmed dead, 8 injured and 23 still missing after the 9 July wildfire tore through Los Gallardos and Bédar in Almería, displacing nearly 1,500 residents.
High temperatures and strong winds drove the blaze with unusual speed through ravines and isolated homes, Bishop Antonio Gómez Cantero said, describing the fire advancing about 100 meters a minute.
Parishes and Caritas organized shelter, food and water for evacuees and firefighters, while some residents were taken into private homes; two hikers were later found alive after two days stranded in a ravine.
The bishop urged residents to focus on caring for victims rather than assigning blame, casting the church's response as immediate pastoral support and a broader call for stronger care of forests and nature.