Urgent warning over ‘out of control’ wildfires ripping through Tenerife as holiday homes evacuated to escape inferno

HOLIDAY homes and villages have been evacuated as an “out of control” wildfire sweeps across Tenerife. The raging inferno has ripped through 4,450 acres of land on the Spanish island in just 24 hours as 250 firefighters battle to contain it. GettyThe fire has spread 4,450 acres in just 24 hours[/caption] ReutersFirefighters battle flames in a forest in Arafo[/caption] GettyThe wildfire broke out on Tuesday evening[/caption] GettyFirefighters on the ground have been hampered in their efforts to contain the blaze due to the woodland and steep terrain[/caption] At least five villages have already been evacuated after the fire erupted at a nature reserve on the north-east coast on Tuesday evening. On Wednesday night, the flames started tearing through a forest with steep ravines in the island’s north east. Tourists, including many from the UK, and residents have been warned the blaze is “out of control” as roads and holiday homes close. Fernando Clavijo, head of the regional government, said on Wednesday: “The fire is out of control, the outlook is not positive. “Our goal for tonight is defensive, so that the fire does not continue its advance. “We will carry out operations to protect residents’ property.” Authorities have stopped access to the forest around the Mount Teide volcano on the island and have confirmed more fires have now broken out. At least 14 aircraft and 250 firefighters and military personnel have been deployed. Helicopters have been brought in to spray water over the flames. Firefighters on the ground have had difficulty fighting the fire due to the woodland and ravines in the Candelaria and Arafo areas. Vicky Palma, a wildfire adviser to the Tenerife council, told Canarias Radio the expected drop in temperatures at night to around 20C would likely increase the strength of winds in the area. President of the Tenerife Council Rosa Davila told local radio: “The blaze has a huge potential, we have asked for additional means.” She said all access to the mountains on the island, including tourist-favourite Mount Teide, has been closed off. On Wednesday morning the villages of Arrate, Chivisaya, Media Montaña, Ajafoña and Las Lagunetas were evacuated. So far, at least 150 people have fled areas of the north east, mostly from farms and holiday homes. A dog shelter said it had preventively evacuated some of its most vulnerable dogs and those with respiratory problems so that they would not be affected by the smoke. Head of Tenerife’s emergency services Pedro Martinez warned a number of secondary fires had also broken out. Shocking photos show huge flames covering parts of the forest with thick smoke rising up in the air. So far, there does not appear to be any disruption to either arrivals or departures at Tenerife’s South and North airports. The risk of wildfires breaking out was increased after the Canary Islands suffered a heatwave which left large areas bone dry. Residents on the nearby island of La Palma, also part of the Canary Island off the coast of northern Africa, were told last month to evacuate due to a wildfire during a period of scorching temperatures. Weather experts have declared 2023 an El Niño year – a natural phenomenon that occurs cyclically and causes fluctuations in the global climate. The UN’s World Meteorological Organization said it will raise temperatures around the world, and the effect is likely to continue for the rest of the year. And despite the heat this summer, Europe’s record temperature of 48.8C – recorded in 2021 in Sicily – has not been reached and is currently not forecast to be broken. Just days ago, around 650 French firefighters were brought in to tackle a fierce wildfire which had broken out in the southern Pyrenees region close to the seaside resort of Argelès-sur-Mer. The blaze ripped through 1,235 acres, destroying 30 houses, a warehouse, and an entire campsite, while also leaving a firefighter in a critical condition in hospital. Last week, firefighters battled another wildfire near the southwestern city of Bordeaux that forced around 8,000 people to flee. France is in the middle of its fourth heat wave of the year, while blazes have also devastated large parts of Greece, Italy, Algeria and Tunisia. Wildfires have also broken out in northern Africa, Canada and Hawaii. GettyResidents in five villages have been told to evacuate[/caption] A man flees with his pup for safetyEPA GettyLarge clouds of smoke have been billowing into the sky[/caption]