Two British hikers were found badly burned and semi‑conscious in a ravine in the Almería province of southern Spain on Friday morning, as a catastrophic wildfire swept through the area on Thursday.
Civil Guard officers, who were searching for survivors near the worst‑hit village of Bedar, heard distant cries for help and descended the hillside. They discovered the couple covered in severe burns, with 40 per cent of their bodies affected, and they were immediately taken to a hospital where they are in intensive care.
Hundreds of firefighters, military and police are fighting the blaze, which has destroyed 6,600 hectares (16,300 acres) and already claimed the lives of 12 people, including four Britons. The identities of the deceased have not yet been confirmed, but forensic teams are using DNA samples to identify casualties.
Following the wildfire, Almería authorities reported that conditions were improving. Calmer winds and higher humidity aided firefighters’ efforts, and about 600 of the 1,500 evacuees were told they could safely return home.
The blaze is part of a broader summer heatwave that has seen temperatures reach around 40°C (104°F) across southern Europe, intensifying wildfires in France, Portugal and Spain. Climate‑change experts warn that Europe is warming twice as fast as the global average, leading to more severe heatwaves, strained water supplies and increasingly intense wildfires.
While the rescue of the British couple is a small relief amid the tragedy, the incident underscores the urgent need for improved emergency planning and climate adaptation strategies across the region.
