Thirty-two homes were evacuated in Mijas after a gas pipe was accidentally broken during work on a road near the Hipodromo. The incident happened shortly before midday on Wednesday, October 21, on Calle Espuela. Emergency services were alerted after the pipe was damaged, leading to firefighters attending and assessing the situation.
Residents were evacuated as a precaution while emergency crews worked to control the gas leak and the supplier checked the damaged installation. The operation was designed to protect people living nearby while the area was made safe. No casualties were reported in the available accounts of the incident.
Once the leak had been brought under control and the necessary checks completed, residents were allowed to return to their homes progressively. The emergency operation ended at around 1.30pm, according to reports citing the 112 emergency coordination service. The incident caused disruption for residents in the immediate area, although the evacuation was a precautionary measure rather than a response to reported injuries.
Controlled burn planned near Mijas homes
Detecting and repairing the gas leak couldn’t have come at a better time. Residents around El Chaparral and Camino del Hipodromo should also be aware of a separate planned operation on Friday, October 23, when Andalucia’s forest-fire service INFOCA is scheduled to carry out a controlled vegetation burn nearby.
ℹ️ INFORMACIÓN DE SERVICIO |
Mañana de 08:00 a 14:00 h realizaremos #QuemaPrescrita en la zona de “El Chaparral”, término municipal de #Mijas (#Málaga). #FuegoTécnico en zona forestal para defensa de viviendas próximas.🦺Si ves humo o vehículos de emergencias 🚒: NO TE ALARMES! https://t.co/4son7o1vDv
— EMA INFOCA (@Plan_INFOCA) October 22, 2026
The operation is due to take place between 8am and 2pm on land around Camino del Hipodromo, close to residential developments. Mijas Council is collaborating with INFOCA on the work, which is intended to reduce the build-up of dry vegetation that could fuel a forest fire.
The planned burn will cover the same area treated in November 2025. The land is privately owned, with the owners’ consent, and the operation is being conducted under a specific technical plan designed to keep the fire under control.
What residents should expect
Residents may see smoke rising from the area and emergency vehicles moving nearby during the operation. Smoke during the scheduled hours is expected as part of the preventive work and does not necessarily indicate an uncontrolled wildfire. Authorities have asked residents to respect signs and instructions from personnel, avoid entering the working area and keep access roads clear for emergency vehicles.
The work is part of efforts to reduce fire risk where woodland and scrub meet residential areas. INFOCA uses prescribed burns under carefully assessed conditions to remove combustible vegetation and help protect nearby homes from the spread of future wildfires.
The gas leak and the planned burn are separate incidents, but both concern the wider Hipodromo area of Mijas.