A devastating wildfire that swept through southern Spain’s Almería province last week has become one of the nation’s deadliest on record, with authorities confirming that 12 of the 13 people killed were foreign nationals. Following the completion of full post-mortem examinations on all victims on Tuesday, Spanish officials released the full breakdown of nationalities: seven of the deceased were from the United Kingdom, three were Belgian citizens, one was French, one was American, and the 13th victim was a local Spanish citizen. All 13 victims were adults, consisting of eight women and five men.
Among the British victims were Pete and Fran Gillam, a retired couple who resided in Bédar, the small village at the epicenter of the fire that bore the worst of its destruction. Their daughter Danielle Gillam-Kirton, based in Sheffield, confirmed the couple’s deaths in a heartbreaking Facebook post, writing that her family was “heartbroken to share that we have received confirmation from the police that Mum and Dad did not survive the fire.”
The blaze, which ignited last Thursday, has now been fully contained after scorching approximately 7,000 hectares — equal to 17,300 acres — of land across the province. Residents and first responders described the affected landscape as completely unrecognizable, with vegetation and property left entirely charred by the fast-moving fire.
The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office has confirmed it is providing consular support to the affected British families and remains in close coordination with Spanish law enforcement and emergency authorities to assist with next steps.
This deadly wildfire comes as Spain continues to face a growing pattern of extreme heat and catastrophic wildfire activity, driven by long-term climate shifts. In recent years, the country has been hit by increasingly frequent and severe heatwaves, with summer temperatures regularly climbing above 40 degrees Celsius, creating dry conditions that heighten wildfire risk across much of the Iberian Peninsula.