Benahavís lifts town confinement as wildfire burns over 300 hectares in Málaga

Containment progress and lifted restrictions

Emergency authorities in Andalusia lifted the stay-at-home confinement order for the main urban centre of Benahavís on Monday morning, 14 September 2026. The decision followed containment progress by firefighting crews, who secured the perimeter extending from the Castle of Montemayor down to the primary municipal access road on both flanks. Precautionary evacuation orders remain active for surrounding residential developments, including Montemayor, La Coja, and Benahavís Hills, keeping approximately 50 residents displaced from their properties. First Vice President of the Regional Government of Andalusia and Minister of the Presidency, Health and Emergencies Antonio Sanz announced the easing of village restrictions following operational reviews at the advanced command post.

Good work during the night has allowed us to lift the confinement of the urban centre of Benahavís.

Fire outbreak and emergency declaration

The wildfire started at approximately 12:37 on Sunday, 13 September 2026, in the Ermita del Rosario area, situated roughly one kilometre from the municipal centre. Pushed by wind gusts reaching 50 kilometres per hour through steep ravines and river basins, the blaze prompted regional emergency services to activate operational situation 1 under the Infoca Plan. The Andalusian Emergency Agency issued an Es-Alert mobile notification shortly after 14:00, instructing the 9,500 residents of the municipality to remain indoors. Initial emergency operations on Sunday mobilized 115 ground crew members supported by 22 aerial firefighting units. By Monday morning, the estimated surface area damaged by the flames exceeded 300 hectares across the mountainous terrain between Marbella, Estepona, and Ronda.

Tactical firefighting and overnight weather shift

Extinction teams adapted their strategy overnight following a meeting of the Emergency Plan Advisory Committee, deploying heavy machinery alongside tactical burns. Ground teams executed controlled backburns in the northeast perimeter, intentionally burning vegetation strips to eliminate combustible matter ahead of advancing flames. Weather conditions improved overnight, as winds shifted to the northeast at 12–14 kilometres per hour while relative humidity climbed to between 70% and 80%. A specialized overnight team of 212 personnel worked on the ground, preventing flames from entering home interiors despite fire reaching exterior terraces, fences, and entrances.

The growth of the head of the fire has been halted, and what remains is the spread towards the northern area of Montemayor.

Casualties and ongoing suppression work

The fire resulted in three recorded injuries across Sunday and Monday. One citizen suffered burns and was evacuated to Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, while a second resident received medical care for mild smoke inhalation. An Infoca firefighter sustained a fractured wrist after falling during perimeter containment efforts. Regional transport officials reopened the A-7175 access road late Sunday night, allowing residents who were outside the area when the fire started to return home under initial confinement protocols. On Monday morning, seven aircraft resumed aerial drops alongside more than 300 personnel, concentrating efforts on extinguishing lingering hotspots along the northern sector of Montemayor.