In the largest and most popular island of the Canary Islands, Tenerife, over 250 firefighters are battling an out-of-control wildfire, while five villages have been evacuated. At least 1,800 hectares have been consumed by the fire.
Around 250 firefighters on Wednesday battled a wildfire raging “out of control” on Spain’s holiday island of Tenerife that forced road closures and the evacuation of five villages, officials said.
The fire, which broke out on Tuesday night, was raging through a forested area with steep ravines in the northeastern part of the island, part of the Canary Islands archipelago off northwestern Africa.
“The fire is out of control, the scenario is not exactly very positive,” the head of the regional government, Fernando Clavijo, said at a news conference in Tenerife late on Wednesday.
Around 250 firefighters backed by 13 planes and helicopters, including three sent from mainland Spain, worked to contain the fire in an area difficult to reach, Clavijo said.
He said the flames had so far burned about 1,800 hectares (5,500 acres).
The villages of Arrate, Chivisaya, Media Montana, Ajafona and Las Lagunetas were evacuated on Wednesday morning as a precaution because of thick smoke.
Local authorities have cut off roads leading to the mountains on the northeastern part of the island.
The wildfire comes after the Canary Islands were hit by a heat wave that has left many areas’ tinder dry, increasing the risk of wildfires.
Heat waves have become more likely due to climate change, scientists say.
As global temperatures rise over time, heat waves are predicted to become more frequent and intense, and their impacts more widespread.
Miroslava Salazar, with AFP
