British survivor recounts deadly Almeria wildfire that claimed his wife and friends

A 70-year-old British expatriate, Malcolm Timbrell, survived a wildfire that swept through the village of Bedar in Almeria province on July 9, while his wife, Annette Kilgore, and eight friends and neighbours were killed. The fire, described as spreading across an area larger than Manhattan at speeds exceeding 300 feet per minute, forced residents to make rapid evacuation decisions.

Timbrell said he returned to the house to retrieve his two cats before attempting to rejoin the group. He recounted that his wife and the others chose to walk ahead of the fire front, which he later learned was moving at about 20 kilometers per hour, leaving them little chance of survival. He escaped by using one of six cars, noting that four ignited instantly while the last two were only badly damaged, allowing him to flee with a cat.

Local authorities recovered eight bodies near the couple’s home, confirming three British nationals, a French, a Belgian and a Spanish victim. Four additional bodies found in a burnt vehicle are believed to be British, while Kilgore’s remains have not yet been positively identified. DNA testing is ongoing.

The blaze occurred amid a heatwave that has set record temperatures across Europe, contributing to an increase in wildfire activity. Officials in France reported extensive fires near Paris, though no casualties have been reported there.