A wildfire raging in inland Malaga has been escalated to Operational Situation 1 after burning throughout the night.

INFOCA has dramatically expanded the response to the blaze, which broke out late on Saturday in the Mirador de Igualeja area.

Some 140 forest firefighters are now tackling the flames, up from the 50 initially deployed overnight.

Seven fire engines and nine aircraft have also joined the operation.

Regional emergencies minister Antonio Sanz confirmed that residents of Igualeja have been ordered to remain indoors as a precaution.

The flames are not currently moving towards the village, but residents endured an anxious night after seeing the fire burning above the source of the River Genal, located beside a built-up area.

The aerial response includes one light helicopter, two semi-heavy helicopters, a command helicopter, two ground-loading firefighting planes, two FOCA aircraft and an aerial coordination plane.

Four operations technicians, two extinction specialists, environmental officers, logistics personnel and a deputy director from the regional command centre have also been deployed.

Declaring Operational Situation 1 represents a significant escalation in the emergency response and allows additional measures to protect people and property potentially threatened by the fire.

Images shared overnight showed an intense orange glow illuminating huge clouds of smoke behind buildings in the mountainous area.

The blaze remains active and its cause is not yet known.

Officials have not provided an estimate of the land affected, and no injuries, evacuations or confinement orders have so far been announced.

Igualeja lies in the Valle del Genal, approximately 20 kilometres north-west of Marbella and close to the Sierra de las Nieves National Park.