This is the most recent footage of the wildfire that is devastating the holiday isle of Gran Canaria – where almost 9,000 people been evacuated so far.
The wildfire was declared on Saturday in the municipality of Valleseco, on the island of Gran Canaria, one of the Spanish Canary Islands.
Video Credit: CEN/Cabildo Gran Canaria
The video shows the moment the flames are seen in the forest of Valleseco as well as the ash falling over the firefighters trying to put it out.
A spokeswoman for the local Emergency Services told Central European News (CEN) that the number of evacuated people has reached almost 9,000.
She added that there have been no casualties as a consequence of the forest fire so far.
Local sources indicate that more than 700 people are working on land with the support of 16 air vehicles: four hydroplanes, one forest plane and 11 helicopters in a bid to tackle the blaze.
Video Credit: CEN/Cabildo Gran Canaria
Emergency services say that more 20 roads are closed.
Canary Islands President Angel Victor Torres said that 549 people will not be allowed to go back to their houses today (Monday) but they will stay in more than 500 provisional shelters.
The main source of the fire is located in the natural reserve of Tamadaba, and according to Federico Grillo, the Head of the Emergency Service of the local government, it is out of control and it is “out of any form of being extinguished” with flames that are more than 50 metres (164 feet) high.
The emergency service spokeswoman told CEN that nobody has required medical attention as a consequence of the forest fire “neither tourists nor residents on the island” and only “the hotel of Parador Nacional was evacuated as a preventive measure and a few rural hotels”.
Video Credit: CEN/Cabildo Gran Canaria
It was not mentioned if foreign nationals were among those evacuated.
The wildfire reportedly has spread to a perimeter of 60 kilometres covering eight municipalities, but according to Tom Smulders, the vice president of the Associations of Businessmen of Touristic Hotels of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the fire is located “not in the touristic places that are in the south of the island but in other parts”.
He added: “Only approaching the perimeter of the fire is banned.”
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Story By: Ana Lacasa, Sub-Editor: Alex Cope, Agency: Central European News
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