Wildfire Spreads Rapidly in Tenerife, Canary Islands
TENERIFE, Canary Islands, Spain – A massive wildfire that started in a mountainous national park on the Spanish island of Tenerife on Wednesday has spread rapidly, engulfing approximately 1,800 hectares (4,450 acres) in just 24 hours. Firefighters are facing significant challenges as they try to contain the blaze due to difficult terrain conditions.
The fire has expanded its perimeter to cover 22 kilometers (14 miles) across dry woodland, which includes both sides of steep ravines near Mount Teide, Spain’s highest peak. The difficult access to the area is hindering firefighting efforts.
“The fire is out of control… the outlook is not positive,” warned Fernando Clavijo, the region’s leader, during an evening news conference held in Tenerife’s capital, Santa Cruz. He added that the immediate goal is to establish defensive measures to prevent the fire from advancing further and to protect the residents’ properties.
To combat the raging flames, authorities have deployed 14 aircraft and a combined force of 250 firefighters and military personnel. More resources are on their way, with one waterbombing seaplane having arrived from the mainland on Wednesday, and two more expected on Thursday morning.
Vicky Palma, a wildfire adviser to the Tenerife council, expressed concerns about the strengthening of winds in the area during the night, as temperatures are expected to drop to around 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit).
Pedro Martinez, the island’s emergency services chief, stated, “We don’t rule out that tomorrow we’ll again see intense fire activity.”
Rosa Davila, the head of the Tenerife council, announced that access to the mountains on the island, including the popular tourist destination, Mount Teide, has been closed off as a precautionary measure. “We are doing this to prevent any incidents,” she explained.
Around 150 people have been evacuated so far from several villages in the sparsely populated northeastern part of the island, which consists mainly of farms and holiday homes. Additionally, a dog shelter has taken preemptive action by evacuating vulnerable dogs, particularly those with respiratory problems, to protect them from the smoke.
Despite the wildfire, Tenerife’s two airports are still operating normally, according to Spanish airport operator Aena.
Last week, the Canary Islands experienced a heatwave, resulting in extremely dry conditions that escalated the risk of wildfires. This summer, firefighters have been challenged by a series of forest fires on the neighboring islands of Gran Canaria and La Palma, both part of the Canary Islands archipelago.
The ongoing heatwave in Europe, coupled with the impacts of climate change, has contributed to increasingly worrisome levels of scorching temperatures globally.
Reporting by Corina Pons; Writing by David Latona; Editing by Angus MacSwan, Barbara Lewis, and Josie Kao