Authorities announced on Wednesday that over 8,000 evacuees, who were displaced due to a wildfire wreaking havoc on the Spanish island of Tenerife for more than a week, have been permitted to return to their homes, following successful containment efforts.
The wildfire, which ignited on August 15th, has thus far engulfed nearly 15,000 hectares of woodland within the national park encompassing Mount Teide, Spain’s highest peak.
Approximately 3,000 residents remain displaced from their homes.
The wildfire is predominantly under control, with the exception of an area in Guimar. However, there remain numerous hot spots that could reignite, especially during the hottest parts of the day, potentially breaching the containment line once again, according to authorities.
A fleet of twenty aircraft will continue their mission to suppress the blaze, which now spans a perimeter of over 80 km (50 miles).
Firefighters successfully safeguarded the Teide Observatory, stated Rafel Rebolo, Director of the Canary Islands Astrophysics Institute, in a conversation with Reuters.
“Over a period of 20 hours, they heroically battled the encroaching fire within the laboratory. I am pleased to report that our infrastructure sustained minimal damage,” Rebolo asserted.
Across Europe, soaring temperatures have precipitated challenging circumstances. In Greece, Italy, and Portugal, firefighters grappled with blazes amidst the region’s sweltering, arid, and gusty conditions, conditions that scientists have associated with climate change.
Up to this point in the year, wildfires have consumed 65,127 hectares in Spain, aligning with the average figures from the past decade. This statistic, however, is notably below the 228,863 hectares consumed during the equivalent period in 2022, which stands as the most severe wildfire year within the last ten years, as reported by official data.
