A raging wildfire that has torn through Tenerife was started deliberately, officials have now confirmed.
More than 12,000 people have been evacuated from their homes as the devastating blaze obliterated about 13,400 hectares (33,000 acres) of pine forest and scrubland.
Locals have been fleeing in horror against of background of towering flames and smoke as the fire spread after it was first sparked last Tuesday.
Local residents try to clean the forest to prevent it from flames as fire advances in La Orotava in Tenerife on Saturday— (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
Fernando Clavijo, regional president of Canary Islands, said police suspected arson and have opened three lines of investigation. It has not been revealed if any arrests were made.
The fire began in the Arafo mountains around the Mount Teide volcano - Spain’s highest peak- expanding to a raging perimeter of 84 kilometers as it ravaged the north of the island over the last six days.
The municipalities of Arafo, Candelaria, El Rosario, La Orotava, Santa Úrsula, La Victoria, El Sauzal and Tacoronte have been the most severely impacted.
But today, Mr Clavijo told Spain’s Cadena SER radio “the worst is over,” adding that the hundreds of firefighters deployed had made some progress for the second night in a row.
Local residents try to reach their houses in Benijos village as police block the area as fire advances in La Orotava— (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
Fire advances through the forest in La Orotava in Tenerife— (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
“Today, we will keep on working, consolidating perimeters. We cannot talk about control yet, we’ll see if we can stabilise all the fronts,” he added.
Acting Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the fire area would be declared a catastrophe zone, entitling the island to funds to help with reforestation and compensation for people affected.
Below is a map of the areas impacted by the wildfire:
Authorities on Sunday allowed some of the 12,000 people evacuated from the villages of Arafo and Candelaria to return to their homes and the remaining evacuees could receive more good news on Monday, Clavijo said.
However, emergency services recommended residents in the area around the fire, which includes the capital Santa Cruz de Tenerife, to close windows and to stay indoors. It recommended wearing face masks if they need to go outside, as the air quality was “very unfavourable” due to smoke.
A raging wildfire that has torn through Tenerife was started deliberately, officials said— (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
Flares are seen on the horizon as the fire advances through the forest toward the town of La Laguna and Los Rodeos airport in Tenerife on Saturday— (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
Popular tourist areas on Tenerife, part of the Canaries archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, have so far been unaffected and its two airports have been operating normally.
Tenerife is the largest of the Canary Islands, off the northwest coast of Africa. The island’s tourism office stressed in a statement Thursday afternoon that the main tourist areas and cities of the island were away from the fire.
