Spanish Mayor Who Warned Residents Door-to-Door Receives Call from King

Ángel Collado, the mayor of Bédar, a small town in Spain, found himself at the center of a devastating wildfire crisis. His town, though not the most directly hit, is near Los Gallardos, the area most affected by the blaze. Twelve unidentified bodies were discovered in the vicinity, with another fatality reported in a hospital.

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I don't even know what I'm doing anymore.

Collado, 56, a lifelong resident and mayor since 2003, has been working tirelessly. His phone has not stopped ringing, a constant reminder of the unfolding tragedy. At one point, he even declined a call from Spain's King Felipe VI, overwhelmed by the situation. He later returned the call, and the King expressed his concern and commended Collado's involvement.

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That's how people would ask what was happening and the word would spread faster.

The mayor recounted how, on Thursday afternoon, a neighbor alerted him to the approaching flames. He, along with his seven council members and the town's sole police officer, immediately went door-to-door to warn residents. Church bells also rang to spread the alarm more quickly.

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I am from Bédar through and through.

The most harrowing moment came late Thursday night when the local police officer, deeply affected, reported finding the first four bodies in a car, suggesting they were trapped while trying to flee. Eight more bodies were later discovered on another road. Collado, who considers himself deeply rooted in Bédar, where he was born and raised, emphasized the personal connection he feels with his constituents, seeing them not as abstract policy subjects but as neighbors he knows by name.

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I was very lucky that my wife wanted to come to Bédar. Otherwise, I would have had to leave.