Jeanne Henny, a 74-year-old British woman, described her narrow escape from a wildfire in the Bédar municipality of Almería, southern Spain, where at least 12 people died. The fire, which broke out on Thursday, spread with alarming speed, catching residents off guard.
Sudden Danger
Henny initially mistook the yellow skies for a calima wind from the Sahara. She noticed smoke and checked a fire-alert app, but the blaze seemed distant. At 5:30 p.m., a neighbor warned her to evacuate with her friend, who uses a wheelchair. It took nearly 30 minutes to load her friend, a wheelchair, and two dogs into the car, leaving five cats behind.
Split-Second Decision
Driving toward the village of Serena, Henny planned to reach Bédar but saw flames surging onto the road. She performed a three-point turn on a narrow road, avoiding a cliff. 'If I'd missed that three-point turn, I would have gone over the cliff,' she said. The maneuver saved their lives as they drove 5 km up a mountain path to safety.
Henny later learned that others who took an alternative route died in their cars. 'You thought it was miles away and then suddenly it was in front of you on the road,' she said.
Official Response
Juan Manuel Moreno Bonilla, regional president of Andalucía, said most victims were foreigners, including hikers caught off guard. Ángel Francisco Collado, mayor of Bédar, reported that a group of nine who ignored evacuation orders suffered seven deaths and two severe burn injuries. Francisco Miguel Reyes, mayor of Los Gallardos, described the fire as 'fearsome' and devastating.
Henny, speaking as helicopters flew overhead, said she felt 'very lucky' to be alive. 'I had an incredible escape,' she added. The fire's speed and ferocity underscored the dangers of extreme heat and wildfires in the region.
