Holiday island became hell. Thousands of people were evacuated
This year is not kind to many European countries and islands. With fires devouring forests and meadows on Tenerife, firefighters and soldiers have to fight again. Over 3.2 thousand people have already been evacuated.
Tenerife faced the largest fires of the year in August. At that time, it was referred to as the most complex firefighting operation that has taken place in the Canary Islands archipelago in the last 40 years. The fire started near the Teide volcano, but due to strong winds, it quickly spread.
Another fire on Tenerife
Currently, the Civil Defense services of the Canary Islands are battling a large fire consuming forests and meadows on Tenerife. By Thursday afternoon, over 3,200 people had been evacuated from the northern part of the Spanish island. According to Tenerife authorities, the more than three thousand people who had to leave their homes are residents of the municipality of Santa Ursula. It was there on Wednesday, October 4, in the late evening hours when the flames were observed.
The specific circumstances of the fire's appearance are already being investigated by the regional police. However, foreign media are already reporting that it is all due to conditions conducive to fires - prolonged drought, strong winds and record high temperatures for October. On Wednesday, a temperature of 39.4 degrees Celsius (103 degrees Fahrenheit) was recorded at Tenerife Sur airport. "Although the August fires were contained, they were never completely extinguished. Small fires continue to break out periodically in the same area, this one has spread more"- we read in the Daily Mail.
- The increased risk of further fire outbreaks may last several more days - stated Ivan Martin, the director for safety and emergency situations on the island. The fire department estimates that the rapidly spreading fire has consumed at least 30 hectares of forests and meadows in the Santa Ursula municipality.
There are no good news
On the night of Wednesday to Thursday, 60 soldiers from a special military unit joined the fight against the fire, which is being extinguished by several hundred local firefighters. According to the rescue team, the biggest obstacles in controlling the fire are the heat and strong wind, which make it impossible to predict the direction of the fire's movement.
- I was working, and my mother called to say that the fire was really very close - it was crazy - one of the residents of Santa Ursula told Reuters press agency. - Now I'm afraid that every time the temperatures get too high, such a situation will occur and evacuation of homes will be necessary - said another, quoted by Reuters.
Recordings have appeared on social media showing a fire.
