Tenerife wildfire ‘away from main tourist areas’

Tenerife’s tourism office has stressed that main tourist areas and cities of the island are away from a wildfire forcing almost 8,000 residents to flee.

Business continues as usual in accommodation establishments, beaches and other tourist sites located in areas near the coast and in the midlands, ITV reported the office as saying.

But access to the Teide National Park, the most important tourist attraction in the largest of the Canary Islands after its beaches, was closed to the public. 

The wildfire has led to the evacuation of five villages in the north-east of the island after the outbreak late on Tuesday.

Regional president Fernando Clavijo said some 250 firefighters and members of the Spanish army are tackling the blaze. The fire had a nearly 19-mile perimeter.

He reportedly added: ”This is probably the most complicated blaze we have had on the Canary Islands, if not ever, in at least the last 40 years.”

The blaze is centred on a mountainous area, which is difficult for emergency services to access.

Pedro Martinez, head of Tenerife’s emergency services, was reported as saying that multiple secondary fires had broken out.