A DANGEROUS wildfire has broken out in the hills above Marbella neear Benahavis, prompting local authorities to issue an emergency alert.

INFOCA crews are fighting a fast-moving forest fire declared this Sunday in Benahavis, in the Ermita del Rosario area around 1pm, after smoke started punching high enough to be seen from Monteros in Marbella. Imagery shared on social media suggests the fire may have started on the road to Benahavis village.

Flames spreading quickly along Benahavis Road

Witnesses put the blaze close to Benahavis Road and say it may be threatening ground near El Paraiso Golf Club. High winds are feeding the fire and helping it jump. Residents report a big column of smoke and flames moving faster than first thought.

Plan INFOCA first listed two helicopters, now they have one heavy helicopter, 5 semi heavy-duty and two light-weight. There are 4 airplanes for land loading, and two light-weight amphibious craft. All in all, on the ground there are 60 firefighters working, and 3 fire engines.

A pyrocumulus cloud was spotted from Estepona earlier, a sign the fire is generating serious heat. Although the blaze is several hundred metres south and west of Benahavis village, rumours abound that evacuations are taking place are not official as it seems many are leaving of their own accord due to the intense smoke, and that phone lines are down connecting the village.

More arial reinforcements can be heard all along the Costa del Sol being sent to the fire as it begins to spread in a south west direction. Latest reports put the flames as far as past Montemayor castle, where, it is said, few firefighters currently are. The area is said to have been evacuated, as well as Benahavis Hills.

What residents should do now

The emergency service has declared this fire “Situación 1” What this means is that:

In Andalusia’s INFOCA / EMA system:

• Situación operativa 0 — pre-emergency. Tracking and readiness. Most fires stay here.
• Situación operativa 1 — emergency phase. The Junta believes the fire can still be handled with its own usual resources, but people or non-forest property (homes, roads, urbanisations) may need protection: evacuations, stay-indoors orders, road closures. A regional minister declares it.
• Situación operativa 2 — worse: Andalusia may not cope alone and needs national or extra-regional help.
• Above that: “interés general de Andalucía” or national interest.

So level 1 means: “this is no longer just a woods fire; civil protection is in play.” It is not automatically “evacuate the village” or “out of control.”

🔴 ACTUALIZAMOS #IFBenahavís, #Málaga, en paraje Ermita del Rosario.

MEDIOS AMPLIADOS
🚁 1 pesado, 2 semipesados, 1 ligero
👩‍🚒 23 bomberos forestales, 2 #BRICA, 3 técnicos de operaciones, 1 agente medioambiental
🚒 1 autobomba pic.twitter.com/cmf9ywpLOM

— EMA INFOCA (@Plan_INFOCA) September 13, 2026

Could this have been the cause?

Today’s Benahavis fire has had extra aircraft sent in. INFOCA has not, in the public updates so far, declared situación operativa 1 for this one. The big July fire in the same municipality was raised to that level. If they do call situación 1, treat official instructions as real, not optional. Follow @Plan_INFOCA and 112.

It’s too early to announce a cause to the fire in Benahavis, but the earliest footage taken, by those who first called the emergency services, point to an extremely fierce blaze on the main road up to the village. Possibly, a car.

Zona del inicio del #IFBenahavís que a posteriori ha tomando una velocidad feroz favorecido por el fuerte viento de levante. https://t.co/2WemsBbhgK

— Storm Málaga (@Storm_Malaga) September 13, 2026

Keep well clear of the fire ground and Benahavis Road if crews are working there. Close windows if smoke drifts your way and look after children, older people and anyone with breathing problems. Call 112 if you see a new outbreak.

This is a separate incident from July’s larger Benahavis-Estepona fire that forced mass evacuations. September is still inside Andalucia’s high-risk season, which runs to October 15. Recent Malaga fires in Cutar and Mijas already showed how quickly a small start can demand aircraft.