Flames Engulf Northern Tenerife as Wildfire Spreads Across the Island

On the Spanish island of Tenerife, a wildfire that started on Wednesday in a mountainous national park quickly grew to 1,800 hectares (4,450 acres) as firefighters battled to put it out in the challenging terrain.

The perimeter of the fire, which has spread to 22 kilometers (14 miles) through dry woodland covering both flanks of steep ravines, has made admission to Mount Teide, Spain’s highest summit, challenging.

Officials sent out 14 planes and 250 firefighters and military personnel altogether. On Wednesday afternoon, a waterbombing seaplane from the mainland arrived, and two more were anticipated on Thursday morning.

The Tenerife council’s wildfire expert, Vicky Palma, told Canarias Radio that the anticipated nighttime temperature drop to about 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit) would probably make the area’s winds stronger.

Pedro Martinez, the head of the island’s emergency services, said that they are not ruling out that tomorrow that there will be another strong fire activity.

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Evacuations Underway

According to Rosa Davila, the head of the Tenerife council, no one has access to the island’s mountains, which include the well-known Mount Teide. “We’re doing this to prevent any incidents,” she retorted.

150 people have reportedly already been evacuated from 12 villages, mostly made up of farms and vacation homes, in the northeastern section of the island, according to Canarias Radio.

A dog shelter claimed that in order to protect its most susceptible canines and those who had respiratory issues from the smoke, it had evacuated them in advance.

The public broadcaster further stated, citing Spanish airport operator Aena, that Tenerife’s two airports were running properly.

The risk of wildfires increased last week when a heatwave in the Canary Islands rendered many regions completely dry.

On Gran Canaria and La Palma, two islands that are a part of the Canary Islands archipelago, forest fires have been put out repeatedly this summer.

When the repercussions of the world’s alarmingly high temperatures, which are being exacerbated by climate change, spread to Europe, people are suffering.

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Source: Reuters