Villages Forced to Evacuate as Tenerife Wildfires Worsen
A significant wildfire on the Spanish island of Tenerife has resulted in the mandatory evacuation of five villages. The fire, which originated in a nature reserve on the island’s northeastern coast, has expanded to cover approximately 800 hectares since it ignited on Tuesday night. Access to the forest encompassing Mount Teide, Spain’s highest peak, has been restricted by local authorities. Additional outbreaks of secondary fires have also been reported. Helicopters equipped with water have been deployed to the area, and the main blaze is proving challenging to combat due to its spread through wooded areas and ravines in Candelaria and Arafo. Rosa Davila, the head of Tenerife Council, emphasized the necessity of aircraft in navigating the steep terrain and acknowledged the blaze’s significant potential.
Villages including Arrate, Chivisaya, Media Montaña, Ajafoña, and Las Lagunetas were evacuated on Wednesday morning. Tenerife’s emergency services leader, Pedro Martinez, reported multiple secondary fires breaking out. Images reveal substantial flames consuming parts of the forest, accompanied by thick plumes of smoke rising into the sky. Despite the wildfire’s impact, Tenerife’s South and North airports appeared to be operating without disruptions as of Wednesday evening.
This wildfire incident follows a recent heatwave in the Canary Islands, leaving numerous areas parched and elevating the wildfire risk. In the preceding month, La Palma, an adjacent island within the Canary Islands archipelago, witnessed evacuations due to a wildfire during a period of extreme heat. This summer, wildfires have surged across various regions worldwide, including Southern Europe, Northern Africa, Canada, and Hawaii.
The heightened frequency, intensity, and duration of heatwaves are attributed to human-induced climate change. Global temperatures have already risen by around 1.1°C since the commencement of the industrial era, and further increases are anticipated unless concerted emissions reductions are enacted by governments across the globe.
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