This archive report was first published on 19 August 2019.
On August 18, 2019, a devastating wildfire broke out on the Spanish holiday island of Gran Canaria, prompting the evacuation of over 5,000 people.
According to authorities, the fire, which spread to the mountainous Cruz de Tejeda region, was described as "extremely fierce" and "unstable" by Canary Islands president Angel Victor Torres.
Fortunately, no fatalities have been reported, but the situation remains dire, with over 600 firefighters and 14 aircraft battling to contain the flames.
Strong winds and high temperatures have hindered the efforts of the firefighters, and authorities estimate it could take days before the blaze is brought under control.
"The next few hours will be very important because the weather forecast for the night is not good," Torres warned.
The fire comes just days after another wildfire in the same region forced the evacuation of hundreds.
Gran Canaria, the second most populous of the Canary Islands, received 13.7 million foreign visitors last year, with many of them coming from Britain and Germany.
Spain is frequently plagued by huge forest fires due to its arid summer climate.
