Briton survives Spain wildfire, but tragically loses wife and friends
A 70‑year‑old Briton, Malcolm Timbrell, found himself alone after a massive wildfire raged through his village of Bédar in Almeria province, Spain. The blaze, which produced winds exceeding 20 kilometres per hour, forced Malcolm, his wife Annette and eight neighbours to drive away from a house that would soon be engulfed, but the flames grew too fast to escape by road.
Malcolm describes the frantic scenes: as the rising fire reached their home, he heard “you’d never imagine it could happen.” He told reporters that the group rallied to front of the moving fire and walked out, only to learn that they could not outrun it. Though many of his companions were rescued by emergency workers, the tragedy claimed thirteen lives, including Annette and the majority of the village’s residents.
In a poignant decision, Malcolm returned to his house to retrieve their cats, Charlie and Lilly. He said: “If we’d left the cats behind, we both would have survived.” While returning, he found that the cars nearby had been consumed – four ignited instantly and the last two, although badly scorched, persisted.
The British survivor, now surrounded by Spanish firefighters, is still coping with the emotional aftermath. He highlighted lack of a timely mobile‑phone alert system in the village and expressed gratitude for the support of both Spanish authorities and foreign allies. He underlines the ongoing search for victims whose identities have yet to be confirmed: the Spanish police have recovered four British nationals, a French, a Belgian and a Spanish fatality, including a 93‑year‑old woman who died in a hospital after the blaze. Such losses underscore the urgent need for better wildfire monitoring and communication.
Malcolm hopes for a swift conclusion to the DNA identification process and is preparing for the emotional toll the tragedy will impose. His story is a stark reminder of the swift spread fuelled by dry conditions and high temperatures and showcases the breadth of loss that a single wildfire can cause.
