5,000 hectares of nature engulfed by Tenerife wildfire

MADRID - Wildfires have engulfed approximately 5,000 hectares of nature on the island of Tenerife in the Spanish Canary Islands, regional President Fernando Clavijo announced on Friday evening, the equivalent of roughly 7,000 football fields.

The evacuation order for several thousand people in the El Rosario district has been lifted, due to the slower spread of the fire, which broke out on Wednesday, reported dpa news agency.

The flames, which have been raging in the north-east of the island since late Tuesday evening, were reportedly fought by around 300 emergency personnel during Friday night.

Eighteen firefighting planes and helicopters were reportedly planned to be deployed again on Saturday morning. Over 4,000 people have been evacuated from their homes since the start of the fires. Emergency shelters have been set up in sports halls.

The cause of the fire, which broke out near the small town of Arafo, remains unclear.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced a visit to the island on Monday. According to regional President Clavijo, this is likely to be one of the most severe fires on Tenerife in the past 40 years.

Firefighting efforts were reportedly hindered from the outset by the rugged terrain and adverse weather conditions, although winds have weakened now.

Access roads to the popular volcano Mount Teide were closed as a precautionary measure. Other tourist attractions operated under normal circumstances, the Tenerife Travel Authority said.

According to the latest information from travel company Tui, there have been no disruptions to travel so far. - BERNAMA-dpa