If you are searching for a loved one, contact the family hotline on +34 677 904 624, where they have a list of people and their locations

FAMILIES across Almeria have begun the task of searching for and tracking down loved ones after a deadly forest fire forced evacuations in a popular expat area.

The pleas and appeals for information come as the wildfire’s confirmed death toll reaches 12, with 23 more people still unaccounted for.

Andalucian president Juanma Moreno confirmed on Friday afternoon that another death had been confirmed, cautioning that identifying some of the badly burned bodies would require DNA testing.

Danielle Gillam-Kirton has had no contact with her parents, Pete and Fran, since they evacuated their home in Bedar on Thursday evening.

Her mother, Fran, texted at 6.53pm on Thursday to say she and Pete were leaving.

Neither has been reachable since, despite repeated calls and messages from their daughter in the UK.

Danielle believes her parents may have gone to Lubrin or Los Gallardos, or possibly to a second property the couple own at Pozo del Esparto, near Vera.

Friends have checked both Garrucha and Pozo del Esparto without success, and have been told the couple are not among those sheltering with the emergency services in Lubrin.

Danielle has asked anyone in Spain who may have seen her parents to get in touch, and has reported them missing to the Guardia Civil at Garrucha.

Danielle is not alone in searching for a loved one caught up in the fire.

Gill Bailey, a resident of Bedar, was reported missing by her family before being found safe by a neighbour during the evacuation.

She had suffered burns and was taken by emergency vehicle to Mojacar for treatment, before being transferred on to hospital in Almeria.

Stanislas Verdonckt, who lives alone on the outskirts of Bedar, has not been heard from since he called a friend on Thursday evening to say he was surrounded by fire.

He was trying to escape with his dog and several others at the time, according to the friend who raised the alarm.

A woman whose given name is Caitie left Mojacar in a Ford Fiesta with her dog at around 6.30pm on Thursday and has not been in contact since.

Her friends describe the family as ‘desperate’ for news and say all the relevant authorities have been informed.

Andalucian president Juanma Moreno has confirmed that 23 people remain officially unaccounted for, though he has stressed this figure is separate from formal missing-person reports filed with police.

The Guardia Civil has opened a dedicated office in Garrucha to take reports from relatives and collect DNA samples to help identify the dead.

A family support helpline, 677 904 624, has also been set up for anyone seeking information about a missing relative.

Anyone with information on Danielle’s parents, or any of the others still missing, is urged to contact the Guardia Civil in Garrucha directly.

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