Seven British nationals have been confirmed among the 13 victims of deadly wildfires that swept through southern Spain's Almería province, authorities announced. Twelve of the 13 victims were identified as foreign nationals following post-mortem examinations.
Victim Nationalities and Demographics
In a statement, officials detailed that seven victims were from the United Kingdom, three from Belgium, one from France, and one from the United States. The remaining victim was a Spanish citizen. Among the deceased, eight were women and five were men.
British Victims Identified
Among the British nationals killed were Pete and Fran Gillam, a couple who lived in Bédar, a village devastated by the wildfire. Their daughter, Danielle Gillam-Kirton from Sheffield, confirmed their deaths on Facebook, stating the family was "heartbroken to share that we have received confirmation from the police that Mum and Dad did not survive the fire."
Another Briton presumed dead is Annette Kilgore, 69, who went missing after fleeing her home in Bédar. She was separated from her husband, Malcolm Timbrell, 70, who returned to rescue their two cats. The couple had moved to Bédar after appearing on the Channel 4 programme A Place in the Sun.
Mr Timbrell recounted to the BBC that he and his wife attempted to flee by car with neighbours, but he went back for their pets. When he tried to catch up, the group had abandoned their cars and were fleeing on foot. He said: “My wife and our other seven friends and neighbours – against me screaming at them not to – decided the only safe way was to walk out in front of the firewall. I’ve subsequently heard that that firewall was moving at 20 kilometres per hour, plus. They had no chance.” Mr Timbrell and one cat survived by moving between abandoned cars ahead of the flames.
Elderly Victim and Other Fatalities
A 93-year-old British woman was also confirmed among the dead. The Andalusian government reported she was taken to hospital on Friday with burns covering 20% of her body and died on Sunday afternoon. Additionally, two British hikers were found alive but with severe burns.
Fire Impact and Response
The wildfires, which tore through Almería province on Thursday, have become one of Spain's deadliest. The fire has now been contained, but it burned approximately 7,000 hectares (17,300 acres) of land. Nearly 1,500 people were evacuated as firefighters battled the flames.
Spain has experienced frequent and severe heatwaves in recent years, with temperatures often exceeding 40°C, contributing to extreme fire conditions.
