The couple were found semi-conscious with burns covering 40 percent of their bodies - and were incredibly able to call out to rescuers

A British couple holidaying in Almeria were found "badly burned" in a critical condition down a ravine by rescuers scouring the scorched land for survivors.

The wildfire that gripped the Spanish province this week has tragically claimed the lives of 12 people and ripped through more than 6,000 hectares of land, now standing as one of Spain's most fatal wildfires in recent history.

Hundreds of firefighters have since tackled the burning inferno, which was reportedly sparked by a downed power line on Thursday before spreading rampantly through the village due to high winds and dry, hot conditions.

With dozens still recorded as missing, authorities are now making the valiant effort to search for survivors in Bedar, the worst-hit area.

A British couple, who are thought to have been out hiking when the wildfire trapped them, were miraculously found alive by the Civil Guard as officers searched the charred landscape nearby.

The tourists were said to have made a "titanic effort" in calling out for help given the state of their condition and from the hidden position they were in, Reuters reports.

Sergeant Pedro Barre, one of three officers involved in the search operation, told Spain's TVE state broadcaster the search party had heard a sound from a distance, but initially thought it was an echo.

"As you gain more experience, something inside you tells you, 'Look again, try one more time,'" he said.

The search party followed the sound which saw them climb down a hill. There, the couple were found in critical condition, reportedly semi-conscious with burns spanning 40 percent of their bodies. The crews quickly mobilised to transport them to hospital in a rescue operation spanning two hours.

"We'll never forget that look of surprise and emotion on their faces," Barre added.

The couple are among eight people receiving treatment for burns in hospital after the wildfire.

Meanwhile, samples from bodies of the dead are being forensically tested in Madrid, with DNA from families of those reported missing being used to try to match and identify the victims. Many of the dead and thought to be British and Belgian and one Spanish national.