Tragedy as Sheffield woman confirms death of her parents in wildfire in Spain
Devastated loved ones confirm loss
A devasted Sheffield woman has told of her grief after the death of her parents in a wildfire in Spain.
Pete and Fran Gillam, who lived in Bédar, a Spanish village that was hit by wildfires on Thursday, have been confirmed to have died by their family.
The couple’s daughter, Danielle Gillam-Kirton, who lives Sheffield, broke the tragic news on Facebook.
She said the family was heartbroken to share that they have received confirmation from the police that her mum and dad did not survive the fire
She said: “We are still trying to come to terms with this devastating news and ask for some privacy and time as we process everything.
“Thank you for all your love, support, and prayers over the past few days. They have meant more to us than we can ever express.”
Ms Gillam-Kirton's mother had texted her that evening to say they were evacuating, but the couple had not been heard from since, she had said in a previous public Facebook.
Messages and calls failed to reach either parent, she said.
Wildfires have scorched some 25 square miles of forest and farmland in Spain, and hundreds of firefighters backed by helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, struggled on Saturday to contain one of Spain’s deadliest wildfires which killed at least 12 people.
A combination of light winds and high humidity are helping crews but the sheer size of the fire still poses challenges, Antonio Sanz, head of Andalusia’s emergency services, said.
Most of the victims, who are believed to be foreign nationals, died after ignoring shelter-in-place instructions, authorities said. Seven people died while on foot after abandoning their cars.
Authorities proactively evacuated 1,448 people from some 11 areas.
Spain has suffered frequent and severe heatwaves in recent years, with temperatures often exceeding 40C.
Wind, high temperatures and little rainfall help small wildfires grow into unchecked blazes.
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Spanish Government inister Felix Bolanos on Saturday attributed the ferocity of the Almeira wildfire to a “climate emergency”.
He said the fire, at its most intense, advanced as fast as 100 metres per minute.
In June, Spain experienced several days of record-setting heat, with more than 1,000 excess deaths.