On Friday, 17 July 2026, at 2:52 p.m., Antonio Sanz, Andalusia’s minister for the presidency, health and emergencies and director of the regional forest-fire emergency plan, raised the Infoca plan to emergency phase, operational situation 1, as a wildfire in Árchez, Málaga province, developed. Emergency services evacuated scattered residential areas near the fire as a precaution and ordered people to remain indoors in Cómpeta. Residents and visitors were urged to avoid nearby areas and follow instructions from emergency crews.
The A-7206 was closed in both directions between kilometres 0 and 3. The road links Cómpeta with the N-340 via Algarrobo, according to Spain’s Directorate-General for Traffic. Authorities advised people whose homes were affected by smoke to close doors and windows and stay inside unless emergency personnel on the ground instructed them otherwise. The regional government said particular care should be taken to protect children, older people and vulnerable residents, and urged people not to approach the fire, to avoid taking risks and to follow official information channels, including 1-1-2.
The 1-1-2 emergency coordination service handled more than 30 calls from residents reporting a fire that began at about 12:40 p.m. in steep pastureland near the town’s waste collection centre. The coordination centre promptly alerted Infoca’s provincial operations centre, the provincial fire service, the Civil Guard, local police and the National Police unit assigned to the regional government.
The Andalusia Emergency Agency also activated the Andalusia Emergency Group, which was travelling to the scene to set up an advanced command post to coordinate the response. Infoca deployed about 10 aircraft: two light helicopters, two medium-heavy helicopters, one command helicopter, four air tractors and one coordination aircraft. Ground crews included 80 personnel, two water tenders, a command team and a medical unit. The municipalities of Árchez and Canillas de Albaida activated their local emergency plans.
Emergency phase, operational situation 1, applies to fires that may be controlled with the Junta de Andalucía’s ordinary available resources but require activation because of their scale, the resources needed to fight them or the need to take measures to protect the public.