After months of summer restrictions, barbecue season is back in full swing across the Costa del Sol. But Mijas local government and police are reminding residents that one careless fire could have serious consequences, particularly at a popular recreation area covered by trees and close to vulnerable countryside.

The Ayuntamiento de Mijas has issued a warning urging people to take extra care when using the public barbecues at Parque El Esparragal, near Mijas Golf.

The park is a popular spot for family birthday parties, weekend gatherings and outdoor meals, with free public barbecue facilities available for visitors. However, its location presents particular concerns when it comes to preventing wildfires.

With local people making the most of the milder autumn weather after a long, hot summer, the park is once again attracting people keen to get together around a traditional barbecue. Local police patrols have also been seen in the area, underlining the importance of responsible behaviour when using the facilities.

Why El Esparragal is a major concern

The park has extensive tree cover and lies close to areas where a fire could spread into surrounding vegetation, including the Entrerrios area.

A barbecue may appear harmless when used in a designated cooking area, but embers can escape, while hot ash and improperly extinguished charcoal can pose a danger long after the cooking has finished.

Mijas has previously explained that El Esparragal falls within a forest-influence zone, making it subject to seasonal restrictions on the use of fire. The council has specifically identified the park as being within 400 metres of forest land in its previous warning about barbecue restrictions at El Esparragal.

Under Andalucian regulations, the highest fire-risk period normally runs from June 1 to October 15. However, the rules governing fires in forest and forest-influence areas depend on the location and the activity involved. Residents should consult the Andalucian government’s forest fire prevention rules and follow any local instructions.

The danger is not theoretical. In July 2025, a wildfire spread around Mijas Golf, with firefighters working through the night to contain the flames.

How to barbecue responsibly

Residents using the facilities should take particular care to make sure that fires are properly controlled and completely extinguished after use.

Practical precautions include:

• Never leave a lit barbecue unattended.
• Keep combustible materials away from the cooking area.
• Make sure charcoal and embers are completely extinguished before leaving.
• Dispose of ash safely rather than leaving hot residue behind.
• Follow any signs, instructions or temporary restrictions issued by the authorities.

El Esparragal provides a valuable public space for families and residents to enjoy the outdoors. Taking sensible precautions can help keep it available for everyone without putting nearby homes, woodland and countryside at risk.

Do you want something to do on Halloween that is more satisfying than scary? Come along and help Eco Amigos with their latest clean-up, and keep litter out of the Mediterranean before the autumn downpours do their worst. This time the team is heading for the spots where heavy rain is most likely to sweep man-made rubbish and debris straight into the sea, and every extra pair of hands will make a real difference.

When and where is the Sabinillas clean-up?

Saturday, October 31 is the one to pencil in and not just for trick or treating, the session runs from 10am to 11.30am and all volunteers should meet outside Chirringuito El Paseo.

Litter-pickers will cover the zone running from the Manilva river down to the sea, taking in Playa de San Luis de Sabinillas. It is a smart choice of location, because riverbeds and drainage channels carry whatever has been dropped inland towards the shore once the rain arrives. Clearing them first stops the problem at its source.

What will Eco Amigos provide?

Organisers will supply bin bags, protective gloves, litter-picking sticks and hand sanitiser, so just turn up and get stuck in. Youngsters are very welcome, which makes this a lovely chance to show children how a little effort keeps a beach beautiful. Dogs, sadly, are not permitted.

Amazing results since 2024

Results speak for themselves. Volunteers have now removed 1,344 large bags of rubbish from natural spaces on the western Costa del Sol since 2024, all of it disposed of properly. Sessions usually take place on Sunday mornings around Casares, Manilva, Estepona and Marbella.

How to join in and help out

Not sure whether it is for you? Message the organisers through the Eco Amigos Facebook group, or visit ecoamigos.net for more information. Bring a friend, bring the kids, and help keep Sabinillas beach looking its best before the rains arrive.

A tiny payment error has caused calls for changes to Spain’s tax rules after a taxpayer faced a hefty surcharge because a payment to the Tax Agency fell just four cents short of the amount owed.

The case has been examined by the Consejo para la Defensa del Contribuyente (Council for the Defence of Taxpayers), an advisory body attached to Spain’s Ministry of Finance. In its 2025 annual report, the council argues that the consequences of such a small mistake can be wildly disproportionate and recommends changes to how certain tax debts are handled.

Why did four cents cause such a problem?

The case involved Modelo 111, the tax form used by businesses and self-employed workers to declare income tax withheld from employees and other recipients. The taxpayer had declared a debt for the third quarter of 2023 but failed to pay it within the original deadline or request a payment extension or installment arrangement. Once the voluntary payment period expired, the debt entered the enforcement stage under Spain’s General Tax Law.

The taxpayer subsequently paid almost the entire amount before receiving formal notification of the enforcement order. However, a small error when entering the payment left four cents outstanding. Under the existing rules, the more favourable 5 per cent executive surcharge applies only when the entire outstanding debt has been paid before the enforcement order is notified.

Because the payment was slightly incomplete, the Tax Agency proceeded with an enforcement order covering the debt. The council acknowledged that the collection authority had applied the legislation as written. Its objection was that the rules left little room to account for an obvious, insignificant error, despite the much larger financial consequences.

Importantly, the original payment deadline had already been missed. The four-cent mistake did not cause the initial late-payment surcharge; it prevented the taxpayer from qualifying for the more favourable rate.

Calls for a ‘right to make a mistake’

The council has recommended that the Ministry of Finance and the Tax Agency introduce consistent proportionality criteria for enforcement surcharges when only a very small amount remains unpaid because of an obvious arithmetic or typing error.

It wants the authorities to consider whether the outstanding sum is genuinely insignificant and whether the taxpayer can demonstrate that the shortfall resulted from a mistake. The proposal includes extending protections to certain errors involving amounts below €3, creating what the council describes as a form of ‘right to make a mistake’ when paying tax debts.

The €3 threshold is not entirely new. A joint resolution issued in November 2022 provided for the cancellation of certain outstanding debts below that amount where the cost of collecting them could outweigh the money recovered. The council argues that a comparable approach should be considered when a taxpayer has paid almost all a debt but made a minor error in the amount transferred.

It has also called for a broader review of Spain’s enforcement surcharge system, including the differences between taxpayers who submit their declarations on time but fail to pay and those who submit them late without first receiving a demand from the authorities.

What does this mean for foreign residents in Spain?

The case is a reminder that meeting a tax deadline and paying the correct amount are two separate requirements. British residents and other foreign nationals with tax obligations in Spain are subject to the applicable Spanish tax rules, just like other taxpayers in comparable circumstances.

Anyone paying a tax bill should check the amount carefully, ensure the payment has gone through and confirm that the full balance has been covered. If a payment is short, even by a small amount, it is worth seeking advice promptly rather than assuming the difference is too minor to matter.

Anyone who receives an enforcement notice should also check the deadline for responding and paying, as the surcharge can depend on whether the conditions for a reduced rate are met.

The council’s recommendations do not automatically change the law. Its annual report does not establish that the surcharge in this case has been cancelled, nor does it confirm that the proposed protections have been adopted.

For now, the case raises a straightforward question for Spain’s tax authorities: should an obvious mistake involving a few cents carry such serious financial consequences when a taxpayer has paid virtually the entire debt?