Firefighters battle smoke and heat to control a major wildfire in Spain’s tourist island of Tenerife

Firefighters in Spain’s Canary Islands are engaged in a challenging battle against thick smoke and intense heat as they strive to gain control over the most severe wildfire witnessed in decades on Tenerife, the primary tourist island. Officials reported on Friday that the fire, which ignited late on Tuesday in the island’s northern region, has prompted the evacuation of over 4,500 residents and the confinement of many more across eight municipalities. The term “confinement” indicates strong advice for residents to remain indoors, keeping their windows shut.

Up to now, there have been no reported injuries resulting from the wildfire. The fire is situated in a rugged, steep mountain area densely covered in pine trees, flanked by various municipalities including El Rosario, Arafo, and Candelaria to the east, as well as La Orotava to the west. The challenging topography makes access for firefighters extremely difficult.

Images broadcasted on television and shared on social media depict flames descending hills near residential neighborhoods, accompanied by a massive cloud of smoke rising from the affected region. According to Candelaria’s mayor, María Concepción Brito Núñez, firefighters have expressed concerns that the water being dropped on the flames evaporates before reaching the ground due to the elevated temperatures.

Smoke clouds have impeded visibility for firefighters and hindered the approach of water-carrying aircraft, as reported by the army’s Military Emergency Unit. Despite some progress overnight in halting the fire’s expansion, Army Capt. Rafael San José noted that rising daytime temperatures would amplify the challenges.

Favorable conditions in El Rosario led authorities to lift confinement recommendations for half of the town’s 3,800 residents. The Canary Islands, like mainland Spain, have been grappling with extended periods of drought, leading to decreased rainfall and influenced by climate change.

The fire has already consumed over 3,200 hectares (7,900 acres) of land. Regional President Fernando Clavijo emphasized the significance of Friday’s efforts in containing the fire, cautioning that air quality remains hazardous in several areas. Vulnerable individuals are advised to stay indoors.

Meteorologist Vicky Palma from the regional government predicted rising temperatures, with Saturday expected to reach up to 34 degrees Celsius (93 F) in the wildfire-stricken region. The perimeter of the fire spans approximately 40 kilometers (25 miles), covering around 4,000 hectares (10,000 acres) of land.

Despite the impact on tourism, Tenerife’s main attractions have remained relatively unaffected. However, access to the Teide National Park, a prominent tourist destination after the beaches, was closed, along with the evacuation of tourist facilities around the Teide volcano area.

Fernando Clavijo declared this wildfire as the worst in four decades, attributing the extreme temperatures and fire’s intensity to the area becoming a “virtual oven.” The Canary Islands, situated off Africa’s northwest coast, have been grappling with wildfires; last month, a wildfire on La Palma island led to the evacuation of more than 2,000 people and affected around 4,500 hectares (11,000 acres).

Spain tops the list of EU countries affected by wildfires this year, with over 75,000 hectares (185,000 acres) burned, according to the European Forest Fire Information System. This accounts for nearly 40% of the total burned area across the European Union in 2022.

Contributions to this story were made by Ciarán Giles in Madrid and David Brunat from Barcelona. For more coverage on climate change, visit https://bigbignews.net/climate-and-environment.

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More about Wildfire crisis

• Tenerife Wildfire: Latest Updates
• European Forest Fire Information System
• Climate Change and Wildfires
• Tenerife Tourism Office
• Teide National Park