Spain’s Gran Canaria Hit By Blaze

A major wildfire raging through Spain’s Canary Islands has forced the evacuation of thousands of people. A series of forest fires that broke out near the town of Tejada have advanced towards the mountainous area of the Island, propelled by high temperature, strong winds and low humidity.

Gran Canaria, a popular European holiday destination is best known for its beaches and mountains. The wildfire that broke out in the inland region of Gran Canaria known as Central Highland resulted in the relocation of a large number of tourists who were residing in the nearby rural resorts. As a safety precaution these tourists have been moved to other holiday accommodations.

Because of the high temperatures in the region, any and all attempts to contain the flames are being hampered. A rescue team of 14 planes and helicopters, 700 fire fighter and 200 military personnel have been deployed. More than 8000 people have been evacuated so far.

The fire that started near the town of Tejada has covered an area of almost 10,000 hectares in just 48 hours with flames as high as 50 metres into the air. Though such incidents are common in southern Europe during the scorching summer months, experts say that the changing lifestyle of people has made this region even more vulnerable.

The fire blazing through the woodlands has reached Tamadaba Natural Park which is home to some of the oldest pine forests. This is the second major wildfire on the island. However, amidst all this the operations at the Gran Canaria airport, situated in the capital city of Las Palmas have not been affected.

As per reports by CNN, a drop in the temperature might help fire fighters in combating the flames.