'Out of control' wildfires in Tenerife force thousands to evacuate key tourist destination

Spanish authorities said their main goal is to contain the fire and prevent it from reaching more populated areas

An "out of control" wildfire on the Spanish Canary island of Tenerife has burned thousands of acres and affected nearly 8,000 people who are either evacuated or confined.

Regional President Fernando Clavijo said some 250 firefighters and members of the Spanish army are tackling the blaze, located in the north of the island - a key tourist destination.

He added the fire had a nearly 19-mile perimeter.

"This is probably the most complicated blaze we have had on the Canary Islands, if not ever, in at least the last 40 years," Clavijo told reporters.

Extreme temperatures in the island, he said, added to “specific meteorological conditions” caused by the fire that turned the area into a virtual oven.

The blaze, which started on Tuesday night, is centered on a craggy, mountainous area, which is difficult for emergency services to access.

Spanish authorities said their main goal is to contain the fire and prevent it from reaching more populated areas - the island’s main town, Santa Cruz, is 12 miles away from the flames.

The wildfire is threatening six municipalities.

Some 7,600 residents in the area have either been evacuated or ordered to stay indoors Thursday due to hazardous air quality.

The blaze started on Tuesday night in a mountainous area which is difficult for emergency services to access

Clavijo said firefighters were working day and night but the fire remained “out of control.”

Tenerife is one of Spain’s tourist hotspots - its tourism office stressed in a statement on Thursday that the main tourist areas and cities of the island are away from the fire.

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

But access to the Teide National Park, the most important tourist attraction in Tenerife after the beaches, will be closed to the public from Thursday 6pm local time (5pm BST), said the Canary regional government.

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