The Independent
·Jul 2026
British woman, 93, becomes 13th person to die in devastating Spanish wildfire
A British woman became the 13th confirmed fatality in the wildfires in Spain’s Almeria region, where several victims were foreign tourists attempting to escape on foot. Two British hikers were found alive but severely burned after rescuers returned to recheck the area. Families of victims disputed claims that residents were warned to shelter in place, with the son of a Belgian victim arguing that no guidance was given before the fire overwhelmed the area. Andalusian authorities defended their response, citing varied evacuation needs in the mountainous terrain. More than 1,000 residents were later cleared to return to evacuated villages.