Simon Hunter
A FOREST FIRE that has been burning on the Canary Island of Tenerife for the last nine days was in a stable condition on Thursday, without gaining any more territory.
So far, the blaze has razed more than 14,700 hectares of land, with a perimeter of 90 kilometres according to figures from news agency Europa Press.
The regional premier of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, told reporters on Thursday that there were fewer than 300 people still evacuated from their homes in the municipalities of Tacoronte, El Sauzal and Santa Ursula.
He added that a decision will be made later today as to whether they can return.
On Tuesday, more than 8,350 people were able to return to their homes in other municipalities, with just under 3,000 following suit on Wednesday.
Earlier this week the caretaker deputy prime minister Teresa Ribera warned Spaniards that forest fires like this one will be ‘more frequent and more intense’ and that they could break out at any time ‘all year round’.
Ribera made reference to similar fires in Canada, Turkey and Greece and stated that she believed they were the consequence of climate change, in comments reported by Spanish daily El Pais.
Read more:
- Canaries Government says up to 26,000 people may have been evacuated
- Firefighters and army battle to extinguish blaze on Spain’s Tenerife
- Huge 22km inferno has torn through at least 1,800 hectares
