A British man who tried to escape the deadly wildfires that ripped through Spain over the weekend sadly perished while on the phone to his wife, it has been revealed. 

The fire across southern Spain has so far killed at least 12 people, and forced hundreds of people to evacuate the area. 

Penelope Howe, originally from Wolverhampton, told The Times that it was during this evacuation that her friend’s husband sadly lost his life. 

Howe, a 54-year-old who lives near Bedar, said: ‘She’s in deep shock. At one point he needed to stop and she spoke to him on the phone. 

‘He had got the cats and was trapped in the car. They were speaking together for the last few minutes. That was how it ended.’

Authorities believe that most of the victims who died in the fire were British and Belgian nationals. There are still believed to be 23 people missing, meaning the death toll may rise further still. 

Spanish authorities said they have obtained genetic material from the 12 people confirmed dead, though it has not yet been possible to identify any of the victims just yet as their relatives are travelling to the nation with comparison samples. 

Officials claim that the deaths were caused by victims ignoring official advice to shelter in place. 

Firefighters of the Infoca (Andalusia Wildfire Service) monitor a fire in the area of a wildfire that killed 11 near Bedar, in Los Gallardos district, in Almeria Province, on July 10, 2026

Flames smoke rise from the forest fire while evacuation and firefighting efforts continue in the Los Gallardos district of Almeria, Spain on July 10, 2026

A firefighting helicopter releases its water load over heavy smoke during emergency operations to contain a massive wildfire while evacuation and firefighting efforts continue in the Los Gallardos district of Almeria, Spain on July 10, 2026

But the son of a Belgian man who perished in the fire disputes this, saying the emergency services gave them no guidance.

Belgian virologist ‌Thomas-Wolf Verdonckt told Reuters on Saturday that he spoke to his father, 63-year-old businessman Stanislas Verdonckt, by phone just before 9pm local time on Thursday evening as the fire advanced on the mountain village of Bedar in Spain’s southeastern Almeria province. 

Stanislas Verdonckt was among eight victims of the wind-whipped wildfire found dead in a valley below the Paraje el ​Curato area where he lived on the outskirts of Bedar, according to his 33-year-old son. Verdonckt, who lives in Belgium, travelled to Spain ​after the fire and spoke with surviving neighbours.

No officials told the group that the fire was heading their way ⁠or that it would be safer for them to stay at home than flee, Verdonckt said.

‘The people who died did not fail to follow any ​orders because no orders were given. No information was provided,’ he said.

‘They only started to run when the flames were almost upon them. That was their ​absolute last resort.’

Authorities have said local officials and police went door-to-door or telephoned residents with instructions on how to evacuate safely or to shelter in place, depending on how the fast-moving fire was advancing in their area.

Bedar mayor Angel Collado said he urged the group including Stanislas Verdonckt to shelter in place.

A wall of fire sweeps across a dry hillside generating thick smoke during a massive wildfire while evacuation and firefighting efforts continue in the Los Gallardos district of Almeria, Spain on July 10, 2026

Burnt tree and ashes are pictured with houses in background, after a wildfire that killed at least 12 people, near Bedar, in Los Gallardos district, Almeria Province, on July 11, 2026

Scorched cars remain in Almocaizar following the deadly Los Gallardos wildfire on July 12, 2026 in Almeria, Spain

The Andalusian regional government, which oversees emergency services ​and local administration, and the Spanish Civil Guard police, which was involved in rescue efforts, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Verdonckt’s ​account.

The head of the regional government of Andalusia, Juan Manuel Moreno, today said that the wildfire has now stabilised. 

‘Good news. After several very difficult days,’ firefighters have declared the blaze in the municipality of Los Gallardos stabilised, he wrote on X, adding the roughly 1,000 remaining evacuees would be allowed to return home. 

The burned area remained at about 6,600 hectares (16,300 acres) after the fire made no further advances on Saturday.  

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is scheduled to visit the devastated area on Monday.

Burned-out vehicles still line some roads where people were trapped as the fast-moving fire swept through the area at speeds of up to 100 metres (330 feet) per minute.

Authorities have kept the death toll at 12 and cautioned that the number of missing people remains uncertain until autopsies and the identification of recovered bodies are completed.

Officials have said many of the victims could be foreign nationals.

Vegetation is burnt following the deadly Los Gallardos wildfire, near the municipality of Alfaix on July 12, 2026 in Almeria, Spain

Flames stretching along a hillside are pictured with a house in foreground, after a wildfire that killed at least 12 people near Bedar, in Los Gallardos district, Almeria Province, on July 11, 2026

The scorched remains of a building in Almocaizar following the deadly Los Gallardos wildfire on July 12, 2026 in Almeria, Spain

The identification process has been slowed because collecting DNA samples from relatives has proved difficult, with family members traveling from other countries.

Despite the improving conditions, the Civil Guard police planned another search of the affected area Sunday to ensure no victims remain unaccounted for.

‘The Civil Guard has entered more than 250 homes to verify that no one was inside, and it will now carry out one final sweep of the area to make a complete check that no one else remains,’ Virginia Barcones, secretary-general for Civil Protection, told Spain’s public broadcaster Sunday.