ByGabriela Pomeroy and Nick BeakeEurope correspondentReporting fromLos Gallardos

Published

12 July 2026, 11:06 BST

Updated 36 minutes ago

A British couple have been located at the base of a ravine, severely injured and barely responsive, following their involvement in the fatal wildfires that swept through Spain's Almeria province, local reports confirm.

The pair appear to have been hiking when overtaken by the fast-moving fire that engulfed the province on Thursday. They received emergency evacuation to hospital and remain under intensive treatment.

Extensive firefighting teams have confronted the blazes, which have resulted in 12 fatalities, four of whom are suspected to be British nationals, while consuming 6,600 hectares of land, according to regional officials.

The names of the deceased remain unconfirmed by authorities.

The couple were located by Civil Guard personnel conducting searches near the hardest-hit area of Bedar in the early hours of Friday.

Rescuer Sergeant Pedro Barre described hearing faint calls from a distance.

"Experience builds an instinct to search further and persist," he explained to Spain's TVE state broadcaster.

The team traced the sounds and descended the slope. They discovered the pair in grave condition, semi-alert with burns across 40 percent of their bodies.

"Calling out despite their injuries required immense strength," noted Rafael Zea, another officer on the scene.

"The expressions of astonishment and relief on their faces will stay with us," Barre continued.

On Sunday, Andalusia regional leader Juan Manuel Moreno Bonilla stated that "the fire has been contained and its perimeter secured," and noted via social media that the emergency level had been lowered.

Fire crews achieved notable advances on Saturday amid reduced winds and increased moisture levels.

Around 600 of nearly 1,500 evacuees from the Almeria fire zone received clearance to return, according to regional emergency head Antonio Sanz.

On Sunday, groups assembled at a roundabout below Bédar village, awaiting permission to reenter their properties.

Many remained uncertain about the status of their homes.

Access was restricted by police barriers and Civil Guard traffic control.

Among those present were Mike and Belinda Lithgoe from Cornwall, owners of a nearby holiday home.

They have stayed in their camper van with their dog, Rocket, since the fires began.

The pair expected a one-hour window later Sunday to inspect their property after consultations involving the village mayor and emergency teams.

"We are waiting to learn if our house remains intact," said Belinda.

She expressed optimism since smoke appeared on the opposite mountain side during their escape.

"It is impossible to predict," said Mike. "One hopes the flames moved down the ravine and around instead of through the village."

Also present were Emma Mitchell and her spouse.

Emma questioned prior claims by officials that some victims had avoided designated evacuation paths.

"We have resided here full time for three years and no guidance existed on specific routes during fires, none at all."

The son of a Belgian victim similarly contested official assertions that his father and others disregarded shelter instructions, informing Reuters that no such direction came from emergency services.

Emma criticized the absence of area-wide text alerts.

"A mobile alert should have been issued, similar to earthquake protocols. They cited technical issues, yet Bédar has limited official presence."

Officials had indicated no alert was sent Thursday night to avoid reaching unaffected zones and hindering evacuations.

Emma praised individual local police and firefighters for their dedicated visits to residents as the fire advanced.

A prolonged heatwave near 40C has triggered wildfires across southern Europe this summer, notably in France, Portugal and Spain.

On Friday, Los Gallardos mayor Francisco Miguel Reyes told Cadena SER radio that "it feels like a bomb has fallen" on the area.

"This marks our first encounter with a fire of such scale."

Hundreds of firefighters, military units, law enforcement and 30 aircraft maintained response efforts.

Forensic teams in Madrid are analyzing victim samples alongside family DNA to identify remains.

The process has faced delays due to challenges in obtaining DNA from relatives traveling from abroad.

With 12 deaths, this ranks among Spain's most severe wildfire events.

In 1984, 20 perished in a Canary Islands fire on La Gomera, while in 1979, 21 died including nine children near Lloret de Mar in the northeast.

Climate change is elevating global temperatures, with Europe warming twice the worldwide rate per Copernicus data.

This drives stronger summer heatwaves, water stress and fiercer wildfires.

France has also seen wildfire impacts this summer.

On Monday over 10,000 were evacuated from Pyrenees foothills.

French authorities reported 32 arrests Saturday on suspicion of arson.

Additional reporting by Kostas Kallergis