Badly burned British couple rescued from ravine during Spain wildfires
A British couple with severe burns over 40% of their bodies was rescued from a ravine near Bedar, Spain, by the Civil Guard. The wildfire, one of the deadliest in Spanish history, has killed at least 12 people, with dozens of fires across Southern Europe fueled by a heatwave.
Rescue Operation
In the early hours of Friday, Civil Guard officers searching for survivors near the worst-hit village of Bedar heard distant cries for help. Sergeant Pedro Barre told Spain's TVE state broadcaster that experience told him to try one more time. Following the sound, the team climbed down a hillside and found a British couple in critical condition, semi-conscious with 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 officer involved. "We'll never forget that look of surprise and emotion on their faces," added Barre.
Wildfire Devastation
A sustained heatwave with temperatures around 40°C (104°F) has caused wildfires across Southern Europe, particularly in France, Portugal, and Spain. Los Gallardos mayor Francisco Miguel Reyes told Cadena SER radio that "it feels like a bomb has fallen" on the area, calling it the first devastating fire of its kind.
Hundreds of firefighters, military and police personnel, and 30 aircraft continue to battle the blaze. In Madrid, forensic scientists are using samples from victims' bodies and DNA from families of the missing to identify the dead. The process is slow because many relatives are traveling from other countries.
With at least 12 dead, this is among Spain's deadliest wildfires. In 1984, 20 died on La Gomera; in 1979, 21 died, including nine children, near Lloret de Mar.
Fires in France and Climate Change
Wildfires have also plagued France. On Monday, over 10,000 were evacuated from the foothills of the French Pyrenees. French authorities said on Saturday that 32 people were arrested on suspicion of starting fires.
Climate change is driving up global temperatures, and Europe is the fastest-warming continent, heating twice as fast as the global average, according to the Copernicus climate service. This causes more intense summer heatwaves, water stress, and severe wildfires.
