A forest fire on the Canary Islands of Tenerife has destroyed over 5,000 hectares and caused the evacuation of thousands of people, Spanish TV said Saturday.
It quoted local authorities as saying that the forest fire, which has increased uncontrollably on the island located in the Atlantic Ocean since last Tuesday, acquired unprecedented proportions in the region.
Local authorities evacuated over 7,600 people and imposed closures in 11 municipalities on the island, in the interest of their lives, it pointed out.
Hundreds of firefighters and members of the military emergency unit are trying, with the help of helicopters and amphibious planes, to control the flames in a task that is getting more complicated day after day, in addition to high temperatures, drought and the terrain of the island itself, it explained.
With regard to the causes of the fire, Spanish TV said that the local authorities opened an investigation to determine the possible causes.
With the Tenerife fire, forest fires in Spain have destroyed more than 79,000 hectares in 2023, according to estimates by the European Forest Fire Information System.
Source: Kuwait News Agency