As the wildfire raged on for a fourth day, the regional government for the Canary Islands ordered thousands more residents to evacuate, bringing the total number to over 8,000. The fire, deemed “out of control”, has finally forced people to leave their homes, including those who were forced to move out the day before. The island, which is home to over one million people and serves as a popular tourist destination, has been struggling with drought for months, with the worst being the past few years.
The Canary Islands have witnessed below-average rainfall due to changes in the weather patterns, which experts blame on the climate crisis. EU officials have linked the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires in Europe to global heating, with 2022 being the second-worst year on record after 2017. Greece has also been affected, with eight villages near its northern border with Turkey being evacuated on Saturday.
Spain is bracing itself for another heatwave, with the state weather service issuing a warning on Saturday. Temperatures are expected to rise in the coming days, with parts of the mainland expected to reach 40 degrees Celsius. It’s not surprising, given that Spain had a record hot 2022 and has set new heat records this year, following a prolonged drought that has authorities on high alert for wildfires.
Thousands more Tenerife Residents Flee HomesEmergency services for the Canary Islands say that the number of evacuees could surpass 26,000, based on provisional calculations. All those who need shelter will be directed to designated places. The regional government has admitted that the fire is beyond their capacity to extinguish, due to hot and dry conditions, high winds, and the fact that firefighters have been unable to establish a perimeter around the blaze, which has consumed at least 5,000 hectares.
The island’s governor, Rosa Dávila, stated that “we have never seen a fire of this dimension on the Canary Islands”. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported so far, although the fire has been raging since late Tuesday. A total of 265 firefighters have been battling the blaze, with the help of 19 aircraft, including units from the mainland. More reinforcements are on their way, according to the central government.
The fire is located in a steep and craggy mountain area with pine trees, making it extremely difficult for firefighters to access. Police are investigating the cause of the fire, with no official explanation given yet. As the situation continues to unfold, the residents of Tenerife wait anxiously for the fire to be brought under control, allowing them to return to their homes.