In brief
Wildfires in southern Spain’s Almería province have tragically claimed 13 lives, seven of whom were British nationals. The blazes, which consumed around 7,000 hectares of land, forced the evacuation of 1,500 residents and left a grieving list of survivors, including the 70‑year‑old British man who escaped in a car. The victims comprised eight women and five men, ages ranging from adults to seniors, and included foreign nationals from Belgium, France, and the United States, with one Spanish citizen also lost. The Spanish authorities have confirmed the deaths after post‑mortem examinations and are supporting affected families. The fires, which reached some of the highest recorded temperatures, were finally contained after days of firefighting efforts.
Almería’s wildfires have taken 13 lives to date, with seven of them being British nationals. The blaze has covered about 7,000 hectares, prompting the evacuation of roughly 1,500 residents from the province.
Post‑mortem examinations have confirmed the nationalities of the victims: seven Britons, three Belgian, one French, one American, and one Spanish. The victims were all adults – eight women and five men.
Among the deceased Britons were Pete and Fran Gillam of Bédar. Their daughter Danielle Gillam‑Kirton expressed her grief on social media, confirming that her parents did not survive the fire: “Heartbroken to share that we have received confirmation that Mum and Dad did not survive the fire.”
Malcolm Timbrell, a 70‑year‑old resident of Bédar who survived the blaze, recounted how he escaped a burning car and the desolate landscape left behind. He described the chaos as he fled into a battered vehicle that ultimately survived the flames, culminating with his cat as only companion left in the wreckage.
The Spanish authorities have contained the fires, but the region remains shrouded in ash and blackened trees. The incident underscores the increasingly severe heatwave conditions that have plagued Spain in recent years, often pushing temperatures beyond 40°C.
For those tracking the situation in real-time, the BBC’s live stream and community chat provide updates on the firefighting efforts, re‑entries into affected areas, and ongoing relief measures for evacuees and bereaved families. Follow the interactive timeline to stay informed as the story unfolds.
