Wildfires in Tenerife: A Visual Guide

author: FutureCar Staff    

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Wildfires have torn through Tenerife, a popular holiday destination, destroying thousands of hectares of land and forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate. Disturbing photos show residents fleeing in horror as smoke and flames loom behind them. The night sky was illuminated with orange flames, while thick black smoke billowed into the air.

Emergency services have reported that the fire has affected 10 towns, with 11 being evacuated as a precautionary measure. The fire initially covered an area of 5,000 hectares and a perimeter of 50 km, but it has now spread to over 8,000 hectares and a perimeter of 70 km. Fernando Clavijo, the regional leader of the Canary Islands, stated that the firefighting efforts have been successful in preventing the loss of any homes.

Evacuations were ordered due to worsening weather conditions, but Rosa Davila, the head of Tenerife's local government, confirmed that firefighters were able to control the blaze. She described the fire as "devastating" but praised the firefighters for their positive results. The Canary Islands emergency services also tweeted that the firefighters had the advantage of better weather conditions than expected.

The wildfire started on Wednesday in a mountainous national park near Mount Teide, the highest peak in Spain. Fortunately, the popular tourist areas of Tenerife have not been affected, and the airports are operating normally. President Fernando Clavijo stated that this is one of the most challenging fires the Canary Islands have faced in the last 40 years.

The fire has been raging in a forested area with steep valleys in the northeast part of the island, affecting several municipalities. Around 250 firefighters and members of the Spanish army have been working to extinguish the fire, which is only 12 miles away from Santa Cruz, the main town on the island. Francisco Linares, the mayor of La Orotava, described the fire as the worst the island has experienced in the last four decades.

Residents have been suffering from the heavy smoke, with one resident describing the suffocating feeling and the fear of the flames. However, the island's tourism office has reassured that the main tourist areas and cities are far from the fire. Tenerife is the largest of the Canary Islands and is located off the northwest coast of Africa.

In recent weeks, southern Europe has experienced a series of heatwaves, resulting in record-breaking temperatures in Spain, Greece, Italy, and Albania. These extreme weather conditions have contributed to the spread of wildfires in various regions.

FutureCar Staff