Published: 10:49 AM, 14 July 2026
Badly burned British couple rescued from ravine during Spain wildfires
A British couple have been found down a ravine, badly burned and semi-conscious, after being caught up in the deadly wildfires that tore through Spain's Almeria province, according to local media.
The pair are thought to have been out hiking when they were caught up in the blaze, which spread rapidly through the province on Thursday. They were evacuated and taken to hospital where they are in intensive care.
Hundreds of firefighters have been battling the fires, which have claimed the lives of 12 people, including four believed to be Britons, and burned through 6,600 hectares (16,300 acres), local authorities said.
The identities of those killed have not yet been officially confirmed.
The couple were discovered by Civil Guard officers searching for survivors near the worst-hit village of Bedar in the early hours of Friday morning, reports BBC.
One of the rescuers, Sergeant Pedro Barre, said they heard distant cries for help. "As you gain more experience, something inside you tells you, 'Look again, try one more time,'" he told Spain's TVE state broadcaster.
The rescue team followed the sound and climbed down a hillside. They found the couple in critical condition, semi-conscious and with severe burns covering 40% of their bodies.
"Being able to call out in the condition they were in was a titanic effort," said Rafael Zea, another of the officers involved in the operation.
"We'll never forget that look of surprise and emotion on their faces," Barre added.
The rescue team followed the sound and climbed down a hillside. They found the couple in critical condition, semi-conscious and with severe burns covering 40% of their bodies.
"Being able to call out in the condition they were in was a titanic effort," said Rafael Zea, another of the officers involved in the operation.
"We'll never forget that look of surprise and emotion on their faces," Barre added.
On Sunday, Andalusia's regional government head, Juan Manuel Moreno Bonilla, said that "the fire has been contained and its perimeter secured," adding in a social media post that the overall alert had been downgraded.
Firefighters had made significant progress in getting the fires under control on Saturday, when calmer winds and higher air humidity prevailed.About 600 of the nearly 1,500 people evacuated from the fire zone in Almería province were told they could return, regional emergency chief Antonio Sanz said.
On Sunday, dozens of people gathered at a roundabout beneath the village of Bédar, hoping to be allowed back to their homes.
Many said they had no idea if their properties had survived the fire.
Their path was being blocked by blue police tape and traffic officers from the Civil Guard.
Among those waiting anxiously were Mike and Belinda Lithgoe from Cornwall, who have a holiday property nearby. They have slept since the fires in their camper van alongside their dog, Rocket.
They said they would be allowed to check on their home during a one hour window later this afternoon, following a meeting attended by the village mayor and the emergency services.
"We're waiting to see if our house is still there" said Belinda.
She said she was "hopeful" because the smoke was on the other side of the mountain as they were fleeing.
