Tuesday, 19 August 2025, 20:06
“The air smells of burning and the sky is dark”; “a fire-fighting helicopter is flying over the mountains”. The messages in the WhatsApp chats of the villages of the Serranía de Ronda in Malaga province have been full of such messages this Tuesday afternoon. They are from local residents of Jimera de Líbar, Benaoján, Montejaque and Cortes de la Frontera and most of them show their concern about a possible forest fire in the area. Nobody has seen any flames, but many see the black sky, smoke in the air, the smell of burning and hear the sound of a Plan Infoca aircraft, the Junta de Andalucía’s fire prevention service, flying over the area.
But in reality there is no fire; what has alerted many residents of the villages of the Serranía de Ronda this Tuesday is the smoke from the large wildfires burning in Spain’s Extremadura region, which has reached the Andalusian provinces of Huelva, Cadiz, the countryside of Seville and of course the province of Malaga. A tongue of smoke which crosses practically the whole of western Andalucía and which has caused a great deal of alarm, together with the smell of burning which can be perceived in several municipalities.
This concern has reached the 112 Andalucía emergency services control room and even the local councils in the area who have had to send messages of reassurance to their residents via social media networks to inform them that no fire has been detected locally. “We inform you that the smoke in suspension that is perceived in our town comes from the active fires in Portugal, Huelva and Extremadura. This situation can generate respiratory discomfort, especially in sensitive people, so we recommend avoiding prolonged outdoor activities and keep doors and windows closed if you notice the smell of smoke,” posted Montecorto town hall on Instagram, in a message also shared by municipalities such as Gaucín and Arriate. “We would like to inform our residents that the smoke that can be observed at the moment in our town is due to the fires that are burning in Extremadura and Portugal. We ask our residents for caution. In case you see a nearby fire or a situation that requires it, do not hesitate to call 112,” explained Benaoján town hall.
“The Plan Infoca helicopter is flying over the area as a preventive measure. The clearest hypothesis given to us by 112 Andlaucía is that the winds are carrying the smoke from the fires in Extremadura, Portugal and northern Spain. So, there is no need to worry right now for our area. We hope that the other regions of Spain will be able to put out their fires as soon as possible, “¡Mucho ánimo!” said the communiqué from the town hall in Cortes de la Frontera. The council in Montejaque also wanted to send messages of calm to its residents. “For now there is no reason for concern in our area”.
Satellite images clearly show the column of smoke that covers the entire western part of the Spanish mainland, covered with a dense haze. The same concern has also reached all the nearby municipalities of the Sierra de Cádiz, such as Ubrique, Zahara de la Sierra and Grazalema. Some regions of Spain, such as Castilla y León, have recommended that the population take precautionary measures – such as avoiding activities involving physical exertion outdoors – in view of the high concentrations of particles which are a direct consequence of the emissions caused by the numerous forest fires.