A fire that broke out on the Canary Islands northeast of Tenerife, Spain, has spread to an area of 1,800 hectares since Wednesday. The fire, which started on Wednesday, is yet to be brought under control. The fire is said to be spreading further due to dry terrain and strong winds.


Canary Island President Fernando Clavizzo said it was difficult to douse the fire because it was in the mountains. It is not yet clear how the fire broke out. The fire reached the edge of el Orotave, a town of 17,500 people.

About 150 people have been displaced from the area due to the fire. There is no data on the extent of damage to property. About 270 firefighters and more than 17 helicopters tried to douse the fire but could not succeed. According to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIC), 73,500 hectares of forest fires have been reported in Spain so far in 2023.