Seven Britons were among the 13 people killed in the latest wildfires that tore through Spain’s Almería province, authorities have confirmed.
The post‑mortem exams revealed twelve of the victims were foreign nationals: seven British, three Belgian, one French and one American. The last victim, a Spanish citizen, added to the toll of eight women and five men. United Kingdom officials announced they were "supporting British nationals affected and their families and remain in close contact with Spanish authorities".
The blaze, which began on Thursday, ravaged the village of Bedar and its surrounding vicinity, burning roughly 7,000 hectares (17,300 acres). Nearly 1,500 people were evacuated as firefighters combated the flames.
Malcolm Timbrell, 70, a British resident of Bedar who survived, told reporters he fled amid abandoned cars: "I was separated from the group and tried to take refuge in some abandoned cars. Four of the cars instantly combusted; I managed to escape from the last one, which was badly singed. That’s how I survived, with a cat inside."
In Bedar, the couple Pete and Fran Gillam were confirmed dead, with their daughter Danielle expressing her grief: 'heartbroken to share that we have received confirmation from the police that Mum and Dad did not survive the fire.'
Spain has endured frequent and severe heatwaves in recent years, with temperatures often exceeding 40°C, raising concerns about the escalating risk of such disasters. Officials reported that the fire has now been contained, but the tragedy underscores the necessity of improved cross‑border disaster preparedness and climate adaptation strategies.
