Malaga province fire forces precautionary evacuation of 1,000 people in Serranía de Ronda and closure of AP-7 motorway

A fire that broke out early on Thursday afternoon in the Malaga town of Benahavís forced the precautionary evacuation of approximately 1,000 people from the Parque Botánico residential area and the front row of the Los Flamingos residential area (the Four Seasons flats), affecting roughly 400 homes.

Residents were able to return to their homes early on Friday morning. The AP-7 motorway, between kilometres 1,054 and 1,070, remained closed until late into the night to facilitate firefighting efforts.

The town's sports centre accommodated any evacuees who needed it and the Red Cross provided 50 beds, although so far only about ten residents have used this option, as most have found lodging with family, friends or in local hotels.

At midnight, the Infoca (Andalusian forest fire prevention plan) reported that the fire's perimeter was more than 60 per cent contained.

A total of 235 personnel from various operations continue working in the fire zone. The Infoca plan deployed 129 personnel on the ground and ten fire engines overnight.

The 112 emergency services have handled almost 300 calls concerning this fire in particular. The first of them, at around 4.30pm on Thursday, reported a fire that had started at kilometre 1,068 of the AP-7 and spread to a wooded area, in the Montemayor residential development.

Regional minister of health and emergencies Antonio Sanz raised the emergency plan to operational stage 1 at 5.30pn. This phase refers to fires that are larger in size and require greater resources from within Andalucía.

The Andalusian emergency agency (Ema) has asked people to follow the instructions of emergency personnel and stay away from the fire zone to avoid unnecessary risks. Sanz appealed to common sense, asking the public to avoid the area around the fire, as onlookers could hinder the work of the emergency services.

Also on Thursday, at around 8pm, Vélez-Málaga reported a fire next to the A-7 motorway. The fire had ignited in an area of abundant vegetation, next to the Prado del Rey fairground, Avenida Juan Carlos I and the El Ingenio shopping centre.

According to SUR reporter Eugenio Cabezas, firefighters from Vélez-Málaga, Nerja and Rincón de la Victoria, the Local Police, the National Police, the Guardia Civil and other emergency services were mobilised to the scene.

The strong easterly wind hampered firefighting efforts. Firefighters focused on containing the blaze. Customers at the shopping centre were urged to move their vehicles from the area of the car park closest to the fire.

Meanwhile, a third fire broke out near La Gloria and Arroyo San Sebastián and close to La Fortaleza in Vélez-Málaga: another area of scrubland, pine forest and low-lying vegetation. Authorities carried out the precautionary evacuation of eleven families. No injuries were reported.

Vélez-Málaga town hall later reported that the fires were under control. According to the municipal statement, the rapid intervention of the emergency services allowed them to activate protocols from the outset and prevent the flames from spreading.

Mayor Jesús Lupiáñez attended the various locations to monitor the situation, along with the head of the Local Police, the commissioner of the National Police and the heads of the security and emergency services.

The town hall also announced the opening of an investigation to determine the cause of the fires and asked for public cooperation from anyone who may have seen anything relevant or has any useful information.

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