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Canaries fires force evacuations | Canaries fires force evacuations |
(40 minutes later) | |
Forest fires on two of Spain's Canary Islands have forced the evacuation of more than 9,000 people, local officials have said. | Forest fires on two of Spain's Canary Islands have forced the evacuation of more than 9,000 people, local officials have said. |
The fires have burnt at least 24,000 hectares (59,000 acres) of land on the islands of Gran Canaria and Tenerife. | The fires have burnt at least 24,000 hectares (59,000 acres) of land on the islands of Gran Canaria and Tenerife. |
More than 100 firefighters are working with water-bombing planes to extinguish the four-day blaze. | |
On Saturday, police arrested a forest ranger who admitted to starting one of the fires. | |
The 37-year-old man told police his job contract was about to expire and he wanted to keep working, according to the AP news agency. | |
Local officials said that 5,200 people had been taken to safety on Gran Canaria and 4,200 people were evacuated from homes in Tenerife. | Local officials said that 5,200 people had been taken to safety on Gran Canaria and 4,200 people were evacuated from homes in Tenerife. |
Hazards | |
Previously, dozens of people had been evacuated from seven areas since Friday. | |
Paulino Rivero, head of the regional government said: "The rugged landscape of these islands makes firefighting very complicated, except from the air. | |
"But while there is a lot of wind and very high temperatures, helicopters generally cannot operate." | |
A spokesman for Gran Canaria's authorities said fires were burning on four fronts but attention was being focused on two in the central Fataga area. | |
He added that only two helicopters were able to drop water there because of the "terrible" wind. | |
A spokeswoman from Tenerife's island authorities said some 300 members of fire and other emergency services were fighting the blazes, with the support of 34 lorries, four helicopters and a water-bomber airplane. | |
Meanwhile, officials in southern Portugal said a major forest fire that broke out on Monday had now been brought under control. | |
Wildfires have also affected Greece this summer amid a heat wave which has stretched across parts of Europe. | |
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