Wildfires raging on the Spanish Canary Islands of La Gomera and Tenerife have forced the evacuation of more than 4,700 people in two days, the regional government said Saturday. <\/p>\n
Firefighters battling the blazes on the islands off Morocco were up against \"high temperatures, low humidity and wind\" that fanned the flames, said regional economy minister Javier Gonzalez Ortiz. <\/p>\n
A pitiless heatwave originating from north Africa that follows Spain's driest winter in seven decades has shown no sign of letting up, and fires were also raging in the mainland Galicia region. <\/p>\n
On La Gomera, the most devastating fires in a decade have ravaged some 3,000 hectares (7,400 acres) of land, including about one-tenth of the Garajonay nature reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage site. <\/p>\n
About 2,500 people from 13 villages in the island's west and southwest were evacuated as a precaution, the regional government said in a statement. <\/p>\n
On the other Canaries island of Tenerife, more than 2,200 people were moved from their homes. <\/p>\n
\"The fires are still burning on three fronts,\" an emergency services spokesman said earlier. \"There is no positive change for the moment.\" <\/p>\n
Water-dropping aircraft again flew missions Saturday as blazes erupted anew in the Garajonay reserve, home to rare subtropical forests which boasts 450 plant species, including eight found only in the park. <\/p>\n
Ventura del Carmen Rodriguez, the island's environment secretary, said last week it would take 30-40 years for Garajonay's burned areas to recover. <\/p>\n
Three more villages were evacuated after 300 people fled their homes to safety on Friday, as roads leading to the affected areas were cut off. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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Fires on Spain's Canary Islands force 4,700 evacuations<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Wildfires raging on the Spanish Canary Islands of La Gomera and Tenerife have forced the evacuation of more than 4,700 people in two days, the regional government said Saturday. Firefighters battling the blazes on the islands off Morocco were up against \"high temperatures, low humidity and wind\" that fanned the flames, said regional economy minister Javier Gonzalez Ortiz. A pitiless heatwave originating from north Africa that follows Spain's driest winter in seven decades has shown no sign of letting up, and fires were also raging in the mainland Galicia region. Continue reading