Seven Britons among 12 foreign nationals killed in Spain’s deadly wildfires

Seven Britons among 12 foreign nationals killed in Spain’s deadly wildfires

Postmortem examinations have confirmed that 12 of the 13 victims killed in a devastating wildfire in southern Spain were foreign nationals. Seven of the deceased were from the UK, three from Belgium, and one each from France and the US. The final victim was a Spanish citizen. The victims consisted of eight women and five men, all adults.

The blaze broke out last Thursday in the southeastern province of Almería, specifically affecting the Los Gallardos area and the village of Bédar. Bédar is a whitewashed village located about 15 kilometres from the Mediterranean coast, known for being a residence for many foreign nationals and tourists.

Authorities reported that some victims died in their vehicles while attempting to flee. Juan Manuel Moreno, the regional leader of Andalusia, stated that four victims were believed to be British nationals because they were found in a right-hand drive car. Other deaths occurred on foot after people abandoned their vehicles. Antonio Sanz, head of Andalusia's emergency services, said most victims died after ignoring shelter-in-place instructions, with some attempting to escape through a dry riverbed that turned into a death trap.

Among the British victims were Pete and Fran Gillam, residents of Bédar. Their daughter, Danielle Gillam-Kirton, confirmed through Facebook that her parents did not survive. Another British man died in his car while attempting to rescue pets, according to a friend of his wife, Penelope Howe.

The fire was described by Antonio Sanz as very complex, very fast-moving and difficult to fight due to a lack of access for heavy machinery in the region's ravines. 150 firefighters and 220 soldiers from Spain's military emergency unit were deployed to battle the flames. In total, about 500 firefighters were involved in the effort. Around 800 people were evacuated, including nearly 200 to temporary shelters, though Civil Protection later cited 1,448 evacuations from 11 locations.

The fire devastated between 6,600 and 7,000 hectares of land, consisting primarily of scrubland and esparto grass. While witnesses suggested the blaze may have been started by an electrical cable falling on a road, a regional government official stated it was likely caused by a fallen electric pole.

Eight people were injured, four of whom were in serious condition. As of Friday, 23 people remained missing. Family members of the missing have used social media to search for loved ones, including Caitie, who was driving a red Ford Fiesta with her dog, and a couple named Simon and Lisa. Sophie Vanderbroek reported her brother was among a group of ten who tried to escape through a valley next to a stream.

The tragedy occurred as Spain faced extreme high temperatures and orange weather warnings. Juan Manuel Moreno noted that heavy winter rainfall had fueled a surge in spring undergrowth, which subsequently dried out during heatwaves, creating what he called a ticking time bomb when combined with wind.

Spain has seen an increase in frequent heatwaves with temperatures exceeding 40C. According to the European Forest Fire Information System, more than 393,000 hectares were destroyed by fire in 2025, the most in the country's recent history. For comparison, Spain's deadliest wildfire occurred in 1979 in Lloret de Mar, where 21 people died.

The disaster has drawn responses from the highest levels of government. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed immense sadness and desolation on X. King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, and their daughters observed a minute of silence on Friday. The King also cut short a ceremony for Princess Leonor's military training to express his condolences.

Similar extreme weather is affecting the rest of Europe. France has experienced its hottest June on record, with temperatures reaching 40C in western and central areas. A large fire in the eastern Pyrenees near the Spanish border burned about 5,000 hectares and forced the evacuation of more than 10,000 people.

Flames in Almería were brought under control, and residents were permitted to return to their homes as of Sunday.