Aug 16, 2023 at 12:51 PM Update: 19 minutes ago
Four villages on the Spanish island of Tenerife have been evacuated due to a major wildfire. The fire broke out on Tuesday evening in the national park around the volcano El Teide.
The wooded terrain with steep ravines is difficult to access, which makes extinguishing difficult. The fire brigade therefore uses helicopters. An area the size of more than 250 football fields has now been destroyed.
It is not yet known if anyone was injured in the fire. The fire will continue to spread in the coming hours and days, the Spanish authorities expect.
The Canary Islands are currently experiencing a heat wave. Temperatures rose to over 40 degrees this week.
According to Fernando Clavijo, the president of the regional government of the Canary Islands, the wind, the climate and the heat wave are causes of the rapid spread of the fire.
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Greater risk of fire due to drought and heat
The dryness and heat increase the risk of fires. Last month, more than 4,000 people were evacuated from a devastating forest fire on the neighboring island of La Palma.
There are currently wildfires all over the world, including in Europe. This summer, fires raged in Italy, Portugal and Greece, among others.
“The number of forest fires is not increasing, but they are more intense,” biologist Rudy van Diggelen of the University of Antwerp previously told NU.nl. But due to heat and drought, there is a chance that more forest fires will start in the future.
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Image: ANP
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2023-08-16 10:51:08
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