Tenerife Ravaged By Wildfires

The blazes are located in the hilly region around Mount Teide.

Tenerife, a favourite among tourists, was hit by a devastating wildfire last night; firefighters battled tirelessly to contain it. The area damaged totals over 1,800 hectares. Mount Teide, the highest mountain in Spain, was inaccessible as the fire's perimeter grew to 22 kilometers through dry woods covering both slopes of steep ravines.

According to official statements, the situation is critical, as the blaze is considerable. Around 250 firemen are attempting to put out the fire, with the help of 14 aircraft and choppers. However, the fire's location in a hilly national park is making operations extremely difficult, despite the government sending rescue workers and soldiers to help with the operations. On Wednesday, a water-bombing seaplane also landed from the mainland, and two more were due the following morning.

The mountains of Arafo and Candelaria are apparently at the centre of the flames, as reported by the local press. Located roughly near the island's geographic centre, this area is known for its proximity to the popular tourist attraction, the volcano Teide.

At this time, 150 people have been moved out of Candelaria, El Rosario, La Victoria, Santa Ursula, and La Orotava. As a precaution against the smoke, a local dog shelter reported that they had removed some of the shelter's older, sicker, and more fragile canine residents.

Authorities have warned that the highly combustible vegetation in the vicinity might spread the flames to other popular tourist destinations like Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Puerto de la Cruz on the Canary Islands. At this moment, keeping the fire from reaching the coastal neighbourhoods where people live is a top priority.

Tenerife North, previously Los Rodeos, is responsible for the majority of the island's internal flights. However, despite the ongoing situation, there have been no reported flight disruptions as of today, August 17th. As always, in order to avoid airport congestion, passengers have been advised to check their flight connections via their airline's app or website.

As a result of climate change, Europe is confronting the impacts of searing temperatures that have reached alarming levels internationally.

 

Source: euronews.com, reuters.com