At least 4,000 people have been evacuated as a wildfire rages “out of control” on the Spanish Canary Island of La Palma while Europe struggles to cope with a heatwave, according to authorities.
The fire in La Palma started in the early hours of Saturday in El Pinar, a wooded area in the northern part of the island. The blaze forced the evacuation of people from the villages of Puntagorda and neighbouring Tijarafe.
Ten aerial units and 300 firefighters on the ground sought to bring the wildfire under control on the island, which forms part of a Spanish archipelago off the coast of western Africa.
At least 13 houses were destroyed as the fire advanced, and it has now affected more than 4,650 hectares (11,490 acres) of land, local authorities said on Sunday.
“The fire has spread very fast,” said Fernando Clavijo, president of the Canary Islands. “The fire is out of control.”
He urged residents to be responsible and heed the calls for evacuation as many did not want to abandon their homes.
R&I ~ MJM
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Article URL : https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/7/16/blaze-out-of-control-as-more-people-flee-spains-la-palma