Confined a municipality in the mountains of Málaga due to a forest fire

A forest fire declared late Sunday morning has forced the preventive confinement of the urban area of Benahavís (Málaga, 9,472 inhabitants) and the La Coja urbanization, as well as the evacuation of homes located in the Monte Mayor area, south of the municipality. The dense smoke and the rapid spread of the flames very close to the town have led the Junta de Andalucía to send an Es-Alert message for the population to confine themselves. The 112 Andalucía Emergency Service reported that one person suffered burns while trying to extinguish the fire and a firefighter was injured after falling during the extinguishing work. The Interior Minister, Antonio Sanz, activated operational situation 1 of the Andalusian Fire Plan around 2:00 p.m.

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An hour earlier, around one in the afternoon, several people alerted 112 that there was a fire near the A-7175 road that provides access to Benahavís from Marbella. Shortly after, two helicopters, a fire truck, and 23 firefighters were dispatched to the area. The complexity of the orography — with steep slopes — and the evolution of the flames, driven by strong easterly wind gusts of up to 50 kilometers per hour, forced the Junta de Andalucía to send an Es-Alert message to decree confinement for the population of the Málaga municipality, as well as the La Coja urbanization. Later, the regional administration also decreed the preventive evacuation of homes located in Montemayor Alto, south of the town. Authorities have requested those nearby to close doors and windows and follow the instructions of the 112 emergency service and the operatives, as well as to avoid any risk. In fact, one person suffered burns while trying to extinguish the fire and a firefighter was injured with multiple traumas in a fall.

Throughout the afternoon, the situation has become increasingly complex, which is why confinement remains in place and the firefighting operation has been reinforced. By mid-afternoon, there were already 11 helicopters and another 11 planes in the area, as well as 105 forest firefighters with three fire trucks carrying 3,500 liters of water and two bulldozer machines. Also involved are 13 personnel with 6 vehicles from the Málaga Provincial Fire Consortium and from the fire stations of Estepona, Marbella, Fuengirola, and Algatocín.

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 “All our recognition to the professionals who are giving their best, with effort, commitment, and extraordinary coordination,” emphasized Antonio Sanz, the Minister of the Presidency of the Junta de Andalucía, on social media. Sanz also reported that, due to the evolution of the flames, the emergency was raised to operational situation 1. This refers to those fires which, although they could be controlled with the ordinary means and resources available in the Junta de Andalucía, are activated due to the size and resources needed to handle the extinguishing or because protective measures for the population must be taken, as has been the case.

The operation is working this afternoon simultaneously to control the right flank front, while monitoring the evolution of the left flank due to its possible advance towards the Monte Mayor area, where there is more fuel load in the form of shrubs and trees. “Work is also being maintained on the tail to prevent reactivations,” the Junta de Andalucía has indicated. According to the analysis by the Fire Analysis Technical Unit (UTAF) of Infoca, the fire shows “very rapid propagation, favored by the easterly wind and the slope” of the terrain. In fact, gusts reach up to 50 kilometers per hour and are expected to continue throughout the day. The Directorate General of Traffic has reported that the A-7175 road between Marbella and Benahavís is closed in the ascending direction to facilitate access for emergency vehicles.

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