Andalucia tackles first two wildfires of the 2026 season in Almeria and Malaga

Firefighters from Plan Infoca, Andalucia’s specialist task force for wildfires, scrambled into action on Thursday, May 21, after two separate wildfires broke out in Andalucia, making this the first big incident of the year in the region.

A blaze erupts near Alhama de Almeria

Emergency services received the alert at 11.05am in the Las Minas area of Alhama de Almeria. Teams deployed rapidly to contain the flames in this rural spot.

A “semipesado” helicopter provided aerial support while forest firefighters, an operations technician, an environmental agent and a water tanker truck crew focused efforts on stabilising the fire perimeter. Control operations continued as experts worked to determine the cause and assess affected land.

🗓️ 21/05/2026 🕗 12.20 h.

🔴 ACTUALIZAMOS #IFAlhamaDeAlmería | Se amplían los medios en intervención

MEDIOS:
🚁 3 semipesados
🛩️ 2 carga en tierra
👩‍🚒 2 grupos de bomberos forestales, 2 #BRICA, 2 técnico de operaciones, 1 agente de medio ambiente
🚒 1 autobomba pic.twitter.com/MI5n3X5p57

— EMA INFOCA (@Plan_INFOCA) May 21, 2026

Flames appear in Malaga province near Viñuela

Later that day at 14.43, another fire started in the Portugalejo area of Canillas del Aceituno, Malaga. The incident prompted immediate mobilisation of mixed resources.

A heavy helicopter and a light helicopter joined two BRICA units, an operations technician and an environmental agent on-site. Crews battled the blaze with coordinated aerial and ground tactics to limit spread in the local terrain.

Infoca deploys advanced resources

EMA Infoca coordinates these responses with a wide array of specialised equipment. Firefighters are using helicopters for direct attacks from above, water tanker trucks for ground suppression, and support vehicles to deliver personnel and tools swiftly. Mobile units handle meteorology, transmissions and analysis during active incidents.

🗓️ 21/05/2026 🕗 19.03 h.

🔴 ACTUALIZAMOS #CanillasDelAceituno, #Málaga | Incendio ACTIVO.
Trabajamos en su estabilización

MEDIOS:
🚁 1 pesado, 1 semipesado, 1 ligero
🛩️ 1 carga en tierra, 1 coordinación
👩‍🚒 5 grupos bomberos forestales, 2 #BRICA, 2 #TOP, 1 #AAMM
🚒 2 autobombas pic.twitter.com/q9Rzd6lBSM

— EMA INFOCA (@Plan_INFOCA) May 21, 2026

Region strengthens defences for summer campaign

Andalucia enters this fire season with better capabilities than ever under Plan Infoca. Over 4,700 professionals stand ready across the region, backed by 40 aircraft, more than 1,000 vehicles and numerous fire engines. New bases, updated fire engines and tactical modules expand rapid intervention options.

Investments in prevention infrastructure and aerial fleets position local teams for faster containment. Officials say improved coordination through EMA structures will help protect communities and natural areas effectively throughout the coming months.

Forecasts for scorching summer

It’s early days yet, but with forecasts for heatwaves in the coming days and prolonged dry spells linked to this year’s Super El Niño effect, people in the countryside need to be on heightened alert in summer 2026 as the risk of wildfires increases even higher than in previous years.