The province of Málaga is among those affected by the high incidence of forest fires, with 75 municipalities declared a "danger zone" by the Junta de Andalucía. This situation highlights the community's vulnerability to flames, especially after recent events like the Los Gallardos fire, which underscored the need for clear action plans and adequate resources.
According to data from the Regional Ministry of Sustainability and Environment, 593 out of 785 Andalusian municipalities are in this "danger zone." However, only 139 of them have an active Local Plan for Forest Fire Emergencies (PLEIF). Los Gallardos, notably, lacked this protective instrument. The combination of heavy rains early in the year and recent high temperatures has turned the Andalusian countryside into perfect fuel for fire propagation, adding to other significant incidents like the one in Villanueva de los Castillejos.
The president of the Junta de Andalucía, Juanma Moreno, has stated that the burned area so far this summer triples that of last year, anticipating a "complicated summer" and attributing the situation to climate change. He has called for increased research into "new generation fires" due to their explosive and exceptional nature.
By province, Granada leads in the number of municipalities at risk with 146, followed by Almería (101), Huelva (79), Málaga (75), Jaén (65), Córdoba (51), and Sevilla (49). PLEIFs are mandatory for municipalities in danger zones and must be reviewed every four years, but many lack them or have expired plans. Only 7.8% of Andalusian municipalities have an active plan.
Huelva is the province with the highest compliance, where all high-risk localities have a PLEIF, although only just over half are currently active. In contrast, Cádiz has only two municipalities with a plan, neither of which is currently active. The absence of a plan complicates the deployment of resources, making it improvised, and the lack of resource inventory, command chain, or evacuation routes can have serious consequences, as seen in Los Gallardos.
