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Regional politicians in Andalusia voted against establishing a commission of inquiry into the wildfire that devastated Bédar in July, prompting sharp criticism from bereaved British families who insist a public and transparent probe is essential. The governing People’s Party and far-right Vox rejected the request from the opposition Socialist party, arguing that an ongoing criminal investigation would suffice to establish what went wrong. BBC News reported that the families have described the decision as outrageous and an insult, with one relative stating that it represents a profound injustice. The blaze on July 9 claimed 15 lives in total, nine of them British nationals, as flames rapidly engulfed the hillside village in Almería province.
Duncan Chard, who lost his father Michael Chard and Michael’s partner Christine in the fire, told BBC News that an evacuation warning sent to mobile phones could have saved lives if it had been issued in time. “If that evacuation warning had come through in time, my father would still be alive,” Chard said. He added that failures by officials on the day contributed to multiple deaths, a view shared by other affected families who have criticised the absence of timely alerts. The Andalusian government, People’s Party and Vox were approached for comment by the broadcaster but had not responded at the time of publication.
Separate reporting by The Guardian highlighted the case of Pete and Fran Gillam, a British couple who also perished in the Bédar fire, with their daughter Danielle Gillam-Kirton emerging as a prominent voice demanding accountability. Gillam-Kirton later discovered additional bones and personal effects in her parents’ burned vehicle months after authorities had declared it thoroughly searched, prompting her to question the handling of the investigation. “Then who or what did we cremate?” she asked in the newspaper, after the remains were sent for DNA testing following delays by local officials. The Guardian noted that she has repeatedly called on UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband to press Spanish authorities for a full review.
The fire alert was raised at 4:30pm on the day of the disaster but the formal evacuation order was not delivered until more than three hours later, according to accounts compiled by The Guardian from surviving residents and relatives. A single police officer drove from house to house to issue the warning in person while Spain’s official emergency mobile alert system, which broadcasts loud notifications, was never activated. The Independent quoted local residents disputing early claims that some victims had ignored instructions, with one stating that the fire moved too quickly for official orders to make a difference and that no safe evacuation route had been clearly designated.
Thirteen residents from Bédar died in the incident, part of a wider wave of severe wildfires that burned across Spain and France from early July, destroying thousands of homes and forcing more than 300,000 people to flee, The Guardian reported. Spanish authorities initially placed the death toll at 13 with seven British victims before later updates revised the figures, according to multiple outlets including BBC News and AFP citations in local media. The fires scorched around 7,000 hectares in Almería province alone and prompted nearly 1,500 evacuations in the immediate area, as cited by officials in Times of India coverage of the event.
Gillam-Kirton has urged both British and Spanish governments to ensure a comprehensive examination of every aspect of the tragedy, from the fire’s origin to the emergency response, warnings issued and subsequent treatment of victims. “My mum and dad would have always spoken up for what’s right and if I can do anything for them it’s that we can ask for the truth and ensure this never happens again to any other families,” she told The Guardian. She has also pushed for the UK government to maintain pressure on Spanish authorities, noting the significant number of British nationals affected. Other families, including those represented by Chard, have echoed the call for an independent public inquiry beyond the criminal investigation currently under way.
