Key facts
- A 93-year-old British woman died from wildfire injuries, raising Spain's death toll to 13.
- Thomas-Wolf Verdonckt disputes Spanish officials' claims that his father and other victims were warned about the wildfire.
- Verdonckt states that victims received no guidance and only attempted to flee when flames were imminent.
- Authorities maintain that local officials provided instructions to residents to shelter in place or evacuate.
- The wildfire burned over 7,000 hectares in Almeria province and has been contained.
A British woman's death from injuries sustained in Spain's southeastern Almeria province wildfires has brought the total death toll to 13. The 93-year-old woman was among eight hospitalized following the blaze, which consumed over 7,000 hectares.
Amidst the tragedy, Thomas-Wolf Verdonckt, son of Belgian victim Stanislas Verdonckt, has contested Spanish officials' accounts of wildfire warnings. Verdonckt stated that his father and other residents received no warnings or advice from authorities and only attempted to flee on foot when the flames were nearly upon them. He asserted that the local mayor's claim of advising the group to shelter in place was untrue.
Regional authorities, however, maintain that local officials and police actively contacted residents with instructions to either shelter or evacuate, depending on the fire's progression. The Andalusian regional government announced the fire was contained and its perimeter secured on Sunday, with over 1,000 residents cleared to return to their homes. The regional president urged continued vigilance throughout the summer due to the high incidence of forest fires.