Seven Britons among 13 killed in Spain's deadliest wildfires
Image: BBC News
Seven Britons were among 13 people killed in the deadly wildfires that tore through southern Spain, authorities have confirmed — one of the country's worst such tragedies in memory.
Twelve of the victims were foreign nationals, Spanish officials said after completing post-mortem examinations. The dead included three Belgians, one French national and one American, alongside the seven from the UK; all were adults, eight women and five men.
Among them were Pete and Fran Gillam, a British couple from Bédar, the village that bore the brunt of the fires. Their daughter Danielle Gillam-Kirton, in Sheffield, posted that the family was "heartbroken to share that we have received confirmation from the police that Mum and Dad did not survive the fire."
Why it matters: The blazes, which swept Almería province on Thursday, forced nearly 1,500 people to flee as firefighters battled the flames. The high number of foreign victims has turned a natural disaster into a human tragedy felt across several countries, and sharpened questions about preparedness as Europe's fire seasons grow longer and more brutal.
The UK's Foreign Office said it was "supporting British nationals affected and their families" and remained in close contact with Spanish authorities.
For Bédar, a small expat community, the loss is intimate and immediate — neighbours and friends among the dead.
What's next: As investigators assess how the fires spread so fast, attention is turning to recovery and to whether enough was done to protect those in the flames' path.