Spain: Around 3,000 people evacuated in Tenerife after wildfire re-ignites

At least 3,000 people were evacuated from the Spanish island of Tenerife overnight a day after a wildfire was sparked by unseasonably hot temperatures and strong winds, according to local officials, on Thursday (Oct 5). This comes months after the forested area was ravaged by wildfires prompting the evacuation of tens of thousands of people.

What is happening in Tenerife?

The Spanish island on Wednesday reported a wildfire months after it battled one of its worst in decades. The days-long blaze, back in August, destroyed some 15,000 hectares and forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of people, with most returning to their homes.

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Emergency services, on Thursday, took to X and said that they had requested assistance from the army’s emergency unit after the blaze which ignited on Wednesday afternoon (Oct 4) was categorised as a high-level emergency.

Firefighters backed by six water-dropping helicopters were battling the blaze, as per media reports, after the wildfire broke out in an area of steep ravines in the northeast of the island. According to the government of Tenerife, the same area was badly ravaged by the huge wildfire in August.

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Earlier on Thursday, Lope Afonso, the vice president of the regional government of Tenerife wrote on Facebook and wrote that some 2,400 people were evacuated from the town of Santa Ursula, and another 600 from La Orotava.

An AFP report citing images and videos on social media said smoke was seen rising from a hill close to houses in a remote neighbourhood and helicopters dropping water on flames.

The seat of the fire “has been stabilised, we are seeing how it evolves to determine if in a few hours residents can return to their homes,” Blanca Perez, the island’s councillor in charge of emergencies, told local radio.

‘Gone well’

Speaking at a business event in Madrid on Thursday, the Canary Islands regional leader, Fernando Clavijo said that while the August fire had been brought under control, they had never been completely put out as embers were still burning in the forest.

He also reported that the overnight firefighting efforts had “gone well”.

ALSO READ |Spain's Tenerife battles 'out of control' wildfire as it spreads across island's north


“There is less fuel (for the fire), so it shouldn’t get out of hand,” said Clavijo, noting that most of the area had already been scorched back in August, as quoted by Reuters.

Heat alert

The Spanish island and neighbouring island of Gran Canaria have been placed under a heat alert with temperatures soaring above 30 degrees Celsius across much of the island. As per Reuters, the temperatures are expected to reach 39 degrees Celsius in Tenerife throughout Thursday.

(With inputs from agencies)

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