Nick Beake

A British man in Bédar, Almeria recounts surviving a fast‑moving wildfire that killed his wife and 12 friends and neighbours after they attempted to flee on foot as flames advanced. Returning for the couple’s cats caused him to fall behind and seek refuge in a car, the last of several that did not ignite, where he survived until rescued. Authorities have identified multiple foreign victims, and locals criticised the lack of mobile alerts, though he expressed no desire to assign blame, citing extreme weather conditions. Support from friends and police continues as he awaits DNA confirmation of his wife’s death.

A British man in Bédar, Spain described surviving a fast‑moving wildfire that killed his wife and 12 friends and neighbours after they attempted to flee on foot. Malcolm Timbrell sheltered in a car as surrounding vehicles caught fire while the group was overtaken by flames moving at high speed. Authorities later recovered multiple bodies, including several believed to be British. Residents criticised the lack of a phone alert, though Timbrell avoided assigning blame, noting the extreme conditions that hampered emergency response. He continues to await formal identification of his wife while receiving support from local police and community members.

At least 13 people died after a wildfire in Spain's Almeria province, where returning residents found widespread destruction but many homes intact. British residents Emma and Simon Michell described surviving the blaze and criticised the lack of evacuation alerts as authorities defended their actions. Police and firefighters were praised locally, while officials faced scrutiny over communication failures. A British couple remains in intensive care after being rescued from a ravine. The fire, among the deadliest in Spain’s history, burned 7,000 hectares before being contained amid conditions intensified by climate change.

A deadly wildfire in Spain’s Almeria province left at least 13 people dead and forced mass evacuations before being contained. Returning residents Emma and Simon Mitchell found their home intact but criticised authorities for failing to issue clear evacuation alerts. Officials defended their decision, saying alerts might have complicated evacuations and that police provided door‑to‑door warnings. Spain’s prime minister is set to visit the affected area as investigations and recovery efforts continue amid warnings that climate change is contributing to increasingly severe wildfires.