Firefighters push forward against Tenerife wildfire

Canary Islands' officials on Sunday announced that firefighters had made advances in efforts to protect communities on the edge of a blaze that has become one of the archipelago's worst wildfires in decades.

Thousands have been evacuated from their homes as the fire, which started on Wednesday in a steep and craggy mountain area, threatened 11 nearby town areas.

"The night was very difficult but thanks to the work of the firefighters, the results have been very positive," Tenerife governor Rosa Davila told a news conference on Sunday.

Police believe the fires were started deliberately and are pursuing three lines of investigation into suspected arson.

Canary Islands President Fernando Clavijo said that the potential perpetrator or perpetrators had "put the lives of thousands of people and property at risk."

What's the latest on the fire?

Clavijo said that, despite expectations of a difficult night, things went "much better than expected."

"We warned of a complex situation, with rising temperatures and wind... and it's true the night started very hard with many calls saying the fire was very close to people's homes," he said. 

However, he said, the firefighters "worked very intensively" and reached morning without having lost a single home to the fire, which has raged since Wednesday.

Calvijo described the achievement as "almost a miracle."

The technical head of the operation, Montse Roman, said overnight efforts had been "mainly focused on defending infrastructure and homes on the northern flank of the fire."

She confirmed there had "not been any more evacuations or confinement orders."

Officials said some 20 aerial units would join efforts to fight the blaze on Sunday alongside two more coordination units.

What we know about the fire itself

Late on Saturday, Clavijo said the wildfire had already displaced "a total of 12,279 people," citing figures from the Guardia Civil police.

By late Sunday afternoon, emergency officials said the wildfire had consumed some 11,600 hectares of land — roughly the size of 16,000 football fields.

Calivijo added that the entire southern front of the fire was "very stable," but that the northern area remained a concern.

The wildfire started on Wednesday in a national park near Spain's highest peak, the Mount Teide volcano.

Until now, the island's most popular tourist areas — mainly located further south — have not been affected and both of Tenerife's airports have been operating as normal.

The fire comes after a heatwave that left swaths of land on the archipelago tinder dry. Scientists have warned that such hot spells are likely to become more frequent and intense with global temperatures rising due to climate change.

zc, rc/jcg (dpa, AFP)