On Sunday, 13 September 2026, at 1:41 p.m., Antonio Sanz, Andalusia’s vice-president and regional minister for the Presidency, Health and Emergencies, raised the Andalusian Forest Fire Emergency Plan (Plan Infoca) to emergency phase, operational situation 1, in response to the development of a forest fire in the municipality of Benahavís, Málaga province. As a precaution, the emergency director ordered residents in the town centre, the La Coja development and nearby scattered homes to remain indoors. The Andalusian Emergency Agency sent an Es-Alert message to mobile phones in the area in Spanish and English. Authorities advised people near the fire to close doors and windows, remain inside if their building is masonry, and follow emergency services’ instructions.
The EMA 1-1-2 coordination centre received numerous calls from 12:40 p.m. reporting a fire near the A-7175 road at the entrance to the town. The blaze was also visible from Marbella. The centre immediately mobilised the provincial Infoca centre, provincial fire-service crews, the Andalusian Emergency Group, the National Police unit assigned to the regional government, the Guardia Civil, the 061 emergency health service and local police.
According to the Fire Analysis Technical Unit (UTAF) of EMA Infoca, the fire was spreading very rapidly, driven by easterly winds and the slope. Crews were working to control the front on the right flank while monitoring the left flank for possible advance towards Monte Mayor, an area with more available fuel. Work was also continuing at the rear of the fire to prevent flare-ups. Winds were reaching 30 kilometres per hour, with gusts up to 50, and no change in direction or intensity was expected.
The firefighting response included 19 aircraft: one coordination plane, two heavy FOCA amphibious aircraft, two light helicopters, five medium-heavy helicopters, two heavy helicopters, one command helicopter, four air tankers and two light amphibious aircraft. Ground resources included seven forest-firefighter groups, four BRICA specialist groups, one Forest Fire Command Team (EMIF), six operations technicians, two fire-suppression technicians and two environmental agents. The deployment also included a mobile weather and communications unit, a forest-fire medical unit, the MOT-SE technical command module from Seville, the USISEM emergency-systems unit (a drone unit) and three water tenders.
Operational situation 1 applies to fires that may be controlled using the Junta de Andalucía’s ordinary resources but are placed in this phase because of their scale, the resources needed to fight them or the need to take measures to protect the public. The Andalusian Emergency Agency urged people to exercise extreme caution, follow emergency crews’ instructions and stay away from the fire to avoid unnecessary risks.