A British couple has been discovered down a ravine, badly burned and semi-conscious, after getting caught in the deadly wildfires that tore through Spain's Almeria province. The pair, out hiking when the blaze rapidly spread on Thursday, were evacuated to intensive care with severe burns covering 40% of their bodies.

Civil Guard officers searching for survivors near the worst-hit village of Bedar heard distant cries for help in the early hours of Friday. Sergeant Pedro Barre said, 'As you gain more experience, something inside you tells you, Look again, try one more time.' The team followed the sound and climbed down the hillside, finding the couple in critical condition. Officer Rafael Zea called their ability to call out 'a titanic effort.'

The fires have claimed 12 lives, including four believed to be Britons, and burned through 6,600 hectares. On Sunday, Andalusia's regional government head said the fire was contained and the alert downgraded. About 600 of the nearly 1,500 evacuees were told they could return, but many waited anxiously at a roundabout beneath Bédar, hoping to check on their homes.

Among them were Mike and Belinda Lithgoe from Cornwall, who have slept in their camper van with their dog Rocket. 'We're waiting to see if our house is still there,' said Belinda. Emma Mitchell challenged authorities' claims that some victims ignored evacuation routes, saying no such information was provided. She also criticized the lack of a mobile alert, noting that local officials said it might have reached beyond the affected area.

The wildfires, fueled by a heatwave with temperatures around 40°C, have also affected France, where 32 people were arrested on suspicion of starting fires. Climate change, driving up temperatures globally, has made Europe the fastest warming continent, leading to more intense wildfires. Forensic scientists in Madrid are using DNA samples to identify the dead, a process slowed by relatives traveling from other countries.