In brief
While vacationing in Bedar, a British family managed to escape the horrific wildfires that devoured the village, but they were shaken to learn that friends and relatives had died. Local authorities confirmed 12 deaths—four of them Britons—while 23 people remain missing. The family’s partner, Riyaz Cheytan, recalled how the fire met them head‑on and the tragic aftermath. Survivors returned to find friends had marched out of their homes on foot, likely due to blocked roads. The incident underscores the rapidly evolving dangers of wildfires in rural Spain.
A British family on holiday in the Spanish village of Bedar described the experience as "terrifying" when an unexpected wildfire swept through the outskirts of the town.
Authorities confirmed that twelve people were killed in the blaze—including four Britons—while a further twenty‑three remain missing.
Lucinda Curtois, who arrived in Spain with her partner Riyaz Cheytan and teenage children, said the family “were not expecting to hit a wall of fire.” They later discovered that some close friends had lost their lives.
“They left their home on foot, I don’t know why,” Curtois said. “I can only presume it was probably because their road was cut off because they live out in the countryside.”
The incident highlights the swift and unpredictable nature of wildfires in rural areas, underscoring the need for robust emergency response plans and community awareness. The Spanish fire‑fighting authorities are continuing to search the area for survivors, while families cope with the devastating loss of their loved ones.
