A wildfire killed their loved ones in Spain. These British families demand to know why

Families of British victims who perished in the devastating wildfires in Spain this summer have expressed deep frustration after regional politicians blocked calls for an official public inquiry into the tragedy. The fire, which swept through the hillside village of Bédar in the province of Almería on July 9, claimed 15 lives, including nine British nationals. Relatives have sharply criticised the authorities for their handling of the crisis, particularly the failure to issue an emergency alert via mobile phones as flames approached the village.

Duncan Chard, who lost both his father Michael and Michael’s partner Christine in the fire, holds officials responsible for a number of the fatalities. “If that evacuation warning had come through in time, my father would still be alive,” he said. The opposition Socialist party in the Andalusian parliament sought a commission of inquiry, but the governing People’s Party (PP) along with the far-right Vox party rejected the request, arguing that an ongoing criminal investigation would suffice to uncover the truth. Families affected have called instead for a transparent and public investigation, believing the criminal case will not fully address their concerns.

Many families also complain about the treatment of their loved ones’ personal effects and remains since the disaster. Duncan Chard described the decision not to send phone alerts as “outrageous” and “an insult.” Officials claim the alert system was not used because it could not be precisely targeted, as evacuation instructions differed among residents, some of whom were advised to stay indoors. However, those who lost family members reject this explanation. Belgian victim Stanislas Verdonckt’s son, Thomas-Wolf, recalls that no warnings