A wildfire that has been raging on the Spanish tourist island of Tenerife for the past five days is believed to have been started deliberately, according to Canary Islands regional President Fernando Clavijo. The authorities have opened three lines of investigation into the arson, but no arrests have been made as yet. Improved weather conditions overnight have aided firefighters in their battle against the blaze, which has been out of control since Tuesday.
The fire is located in the northeast of the island, away from the main tourist areas in the southwest. However, the regional government has ordered the evacuation of a state-run hotel in the Teide volcano national park, situated in central Tenerife, approximately 50 kilometers (30 miles) southwest of the fire zone. The exact number of people staying at the hotel is unknown at this time.
According to Tenerife governor Rosa Dávila, over 12,000 people have already been evacuated from their homes since the fire started. By Saturday, more than 8,000 hectares (20,000 acres) of pine forest had been burned, but Dávila warned that the actual figure could be much higher by Sunday. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported, and thanks to the efforts of the firefighters, no houses have been destroyed thus far.
The fire, described as the worst in Tenerife in decades, is threatening 11 town areas located along a steep and rugged mountain area. The challenging terrain has made access for firefighters extremely difficult. The emergency services have also raised concerns about air quality in 19 town areas, urging people to stay indoors whenever possible and wear masks outdoors.
Over 400 firefighters and soldiers, along with 23 water-carrying helicopters and planes, have been deployed to combat the blaze. Meanwhile, mainland Spain is bracing for another heat wave starting Sunday, with temperatures expected to reach 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in some parts of the country by Wednesday and Thursday. On Tenerife, maximum temperatures are predicted to average around 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) for the coming week.
This is not the first wildfire crisis that the Canary Islands have faced recently. Last month, over 2,000 people were evacuated from a wildfire on the nearby island of La Palma, which affected approximately 4,500 hectares (11,000 acres) of land. According to the European Forest Fire Information System, Spain has experienced the most extensive wildfire damage among EU countries this year, with 75,000 hectares (185,000 acres) burned, surpassing Italy and Greece.
Situated off the northwest coast of Africa and southwest of mainland Spain, the seven Canary Islands are located approximately 100 kilometers (60 miles) away from Morocco at their nearest point.
Arson Suspected in Wildfire Raging on Spain’s Tenerife Island – Gnewswire