Spanish Wildfire Death Toll Rises to 13 as British Woman, 93, Dies

A 93-year-old British woman has died from injuries suffered in the wildfire that tore through the Almería province village of Los Gallardos, bringing the confirmed death toll to 13 in what officials say is the deadliest wildfire in Andalusia's history and the third-deadliest in Spain's history.

The woman was hospitalized Friday with burns covering about 20% of her body and died of her injuries Sunday, according to officials. She is among at least five Britons believed to have died in the disaster, in a village with a significant British expat and retiree population.

The fire broke out Thursday near Los Gallardos and the neighboring village of Bédar, possibly sparked by a fallen power line, though authorities have not confirmed the cause. Driven by winds gusting up to 50 kilometers per hour, the blaze advanced roughly 15 kilometers in just two hours, catching residents and visitors off guard. It has since burned more than 7,000 hectares.

Evacuation Routes Turned Deadly

Local officials and police went door-to-door urging residents to shelter in place rather than flee, but at least a dozen people chose to leave by car instead. Four bodies, believed to be British nationals, were found inside a burned-out, right-hand-drive vehicle. Eight others died after abandoning their cars and attempting to flee on foot, some apparently trying to reach safety along a dry riverbed route that ultimately became blocked by fire.