Canary Island
Officials in Spain said Saturday that they had evacuated more than 2,500 people from La Palma in the Canary Islands, where a fire has damaged 4,500 hectares (11,000 acres) of land.
They stated that over 300 firemen on the ground are battling wildfire with the help of firefighting planes.
“The fire advanced very quickly”, stated Fernando Clavijo, president of the regional government of the Canary Islands.
He blamed the rapid development of the fire on the wind, the climate conditions, and the heatwave that we are experiencing.
“It’s a fire that has gained momentum in a short period of time”, Tourism Minister Hector Gomez told the media.
Sergio Rodriguez, the leader of the La Palma Council and the island’s principal authority, urged citizens to obey the evacuation order so that emergency services could work more efficiently.
According to a statement from local officials, the fire started in the Puntagorda neighborhood in the morning and immediately spread.
According to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), Spain saw approximately 500 wildfires in 2022, destroying over 300,000 hectares, the worst figure in Europe.
As per the most recent EFFIS data, it has lost another 66,000 hectares to fire this year.
The issue is even more concerning in a country that has been severely impacted by the effects of climate change, with a series of crushing heat waves and decreasing rainfall.
During the abnormally hot weather in mainland Spain, the national meteorological agency also recorded record highs.
The Canary Islands are located off the northwest coast of Africa.
Also read: Record Heatwaves Sweep The Globe, From United States To Japan Via Europe
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