Canary Islands Wildfires force 4,700 to flee
Page 1 of 1
Canary Islands Wildfires force 4,700 to flee
Panda Sun 12 Aug - 5:26
Canary Islands Wildfires Force 4,700 To Flee
Hundreds of firefighters are continuing to battle blazes on the Canary Islands of La Gomera and Tenerife.
5:13am UK, Sunday 12 August 2012
A forested area of La Cumbre in Tenerife is seen on fire
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, authorities say.
Firefighters battling the blazes on the islands off Morocco were up against "high temperatures, low humidity and wind" that fanned the flames, regional economy minister Javier Gonzalez Ortiz said.
Hundreds of firefighters are also battling a blaze near Greece's Mount Athos, a World Heritage site housing an ancient monastic community.
A heatwave originating from north Africa that follows Spain's driest winter in seven decades has shown no sign of letting up.
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, also a World Heritage site.
About 2,500 people from 13 villages in the island's west and southwest were evacuated as a precaution.
On the other Canaries island of Tenerife, more than 2,200 people were moved from their homes.
"The fires are still burning on three fronts," an emergency services spokesman said earlier. "There is no positive change for the moment."
Water-dropping aircraft again flew missions as fresh blazes erupted in the Garajonay reserve, home to rare subtropical forests which have around 450 plant species.
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.
A wave of hot weather from Africa last week pushed temperatures past 40C (104F), boosting the risk of more fires.
Between January 1 and July 29, wildfires destroyed 130,830 hectares of vegetation in Spain, according to the agriculture ministry.
Hundreds of firefighters are continuing to battle blazes on the Canary Islands of La Gomera and Tenerife.
5:13am UK, Sunday 12 August 2012
A forested area of La Cumbre in Tenerife is seen on fire
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, authorities say.
Firefighters battling the blazes on the islands off Morocco were up against "high temperatures, low humidity and wind" that fanned the flames, regional economy minister Javier Gonzalez Ortiz said.
Hundreds of firefighters are also battling a blaze near Greece's Mount Athos, a World Heritage site housing an ancient monastic community.
A heatwave originating from north Africa that follows Spain's driest winter in seven decades has shown no sign of letting up.
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, also a World Heritage site.
About 2,500 people from 13 villages in the island's west and southwest were evacuated as a precaution.
On the other Canaries island of Tenerife, more than 2,200 people were moved from their homes.
"The fires are still burning on three fronts," an emergency services spokesman said earlier. "There is no positive change for the moment."
Water-dropping aircraft again flew missions as fresh blazes erupted in the Garajonay reserve, home to rare subtropical forests which have around 450 plant species.
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.
A wave of hot weather from Africa last week pushed temperatures past 40C (104F), boosting the risk of more fires.
Between January 1 and July 29, wildfires destroyed 130,830 hectares of vegetation in Spain, according to the agriculture ministry.
Panda- Platinum Poster
-
Number of posts : 30555
Age : 67
Location : Wales
Warning :
Registration date : 2010-03-27
Similar topics» Deadly Ebola Outbreak In Guinea And Spreading
» China flexing its muscles over Japanese Islands
» Argentina to raise Falklands issue at UN
» China/Japan dispute over Islands affecting IMF Summit
» More trouble in Nigeria
» China flexing its muscles over Japanese Islands
» Argentina to raise Falklands issue at UN
» China/Japan dispute over Islands affecting IMF Summit
» More trouble in Nigeria
Page 1 of 1
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum