British families demand answers after Spain wildfire kills loved ones

A blaze that swept through Bédar in the summer of 2026 killed two British parents, making the fire the deadliest single incident in Spain that year and one of the worst in the nation’s history. The tragedy has left the families of the victims seeking clarification about the cause and handling of the disaster.

Fragments of the remains were later sent to Madrid for forensic analysis. Police have now told the family that no DNA was recovered and that the bones belong to an animal, the family says. However, Gillam‑Kirton says experts, including a forensic anthropologist who worked on the Grenfell Tower fire investigation, believe the fragments were human.

Gillam‑Kirton lodged a complaint with the Guardia Civil and was informed that the matter had been referred to the courts, with condolences offered for "the death of your relative", despite her having lost both parents. She said, "It feels like they're going to hope that we exhaust ourselves," adding, "Either the burden of grief is going to be enough for us to give up, or that we're going to financially exhaust ourselves."

She also highlighted a perceived lack of compassion, stating there is "a real lack of empathy when you're dealing with families that have lost so much". Her main request is for an admission of error, saying, "No-one seems to be willing to say 'do you know what, we made a mistake and for that we are sorry'."

Many of those caught in the fire were trapped while trying to flee the village, survivor Malcolm Timbrell told reporters outside his damaged home in July. The incident, also referred to as the Los Gallardos fire after the neighbouring town where it began, remains under criminal investigation.

In July, the Guardia Civil said the blaze was thought to have started from a fallen power line, a theory that has since been challenged. The BBC has obtained a letter showing the Andalusian government declined a request from Socialist MPs for official fire reports, including documents explaining why no mobile‑phone alert was issued.