A 78-year-old man suffered burns to up to 35% of his body while allegedly trying to tackle flames from the Benahavis wildfire, it has emerged.
The resident has been taken to Malaga’s regional hospital, where he remains under the care of burns specialists.
Two other people have also been injured, including a firefighter who broke his wrist by falling, and another resident who suffered significant smoke inhalation.
The blaze, which broke out near the Ermita del Rosario at around 12.37pm on Sunday, continues to burn and has so far swept through an estimated 300-hectare perimeter.
Around 200 emergency personnel were working on the ground on Monday morning, backed by seven aircraft, as firefighters attempted to bring the active front under control.
The Junta de Andalucia lifted the confinement order affecting Benahavis town at 8am on Monday, saying firefighters had made significant progress overnight and there was no longer considered to be a risk to residents there.
However, around 50 people remain unable to return to homes in Montemayor, La Coja and Benahavis Hills as a precaution.
Fire still active
Emergency minister Antonio Sanz said the main active section of the blaze was at its northwestern head, principally north of Montemayor.
Firefighters managed to slow its advance during the night and divert it towards the area north of the development.
According to Sanz, INFOCA commanders now consider that ‘there is no risk to the population of the Benahavis town centre’, allowing normal activity to begin resuming.
But the fire remains at operational emergency level one.
Those evacuated from Montemayor, La Coja and Benahavis Hills are being kept away for the time being.
Some residents who had been caught outside Benahavis when the restrictions were imposed on Sunday were allowed to return to their homes overnight after the A-7175 road was reopened.
Authorities said on Sunday that no homes had been damaged by the flames.
300 firefighters deployed since blaze began
Around 300 personnel have participated in the operation since the fire broke out, according to Sanz.
Seven aircraft were operating on Monday morning alongside a substantial ground deployment involving specialist forest firefighting teams, BRICA units, fire engines and bulldozers.
Monday’s priority is to close the fire’s perimeter by creating manual firebreaks and using water lines in areas where other methods cannot be employed.
Crews are also extinguishing and securing areas closest to the town to prevent flare-ups.
The operation could become more difficult during the afternoon, with wind gusts of up to 35km/h forecast between noon and 4pm.
Nevertheless, Sanz said authorities were optimistic.
‘Everything indicates that we will progress favourably,’ he said.
