The authorities said on Wednesday (16) that the fire is progressing uncontrollably on the Spanish island of Tenerife in the Canary archipelago. About 250 firefighters and military personnel are working to contain the fire, which is taking place in a hard-to-reach area.
“The fire in Tenerife has gone out of control and the scenario is not positive. Although the development of the fire is slow, the aim of containing and stopping the fire was not, despite the tremendous work of the emergency teams,” said district leader Fernando Clavijo in a statement.
The fire started on Tuesday (15) and spread across the northeast of the island, reaching a dry forest covering a steep area near the Mount Teide volcano. This makes the work of firefighters difficult and it is estimated that 1,800 hectares have already been consumed by the fire.
The temperature is expected to drop overnight, which could increase the strength of the winds in the area and make the situation worse, Vicki Palma, a forest fire advisor for the Council of Tenerife, told Radio Canarias.
About 150 people have been evacuated so far. As a precaution, the dog shelter said it has accommodated the most vulnerable animals and those with breathing problems so that they are not affected by the smoke.
“Proud explorer. Freelance social media expert. Problem solver. Gamer.”