HELL ISLAND
HORROR wildfires sweeping across Tenerife were started deliberately, cops say.
Thousands of people have been evacuated as the army's efforts to tame flames on the Spanish holiday island are hampered by scorching temperatures.
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A major hotel has also had to force guests out as the wildfires continue to wreak havoc, having raged out of control for the past five days.
Tenerife governor Rosa Dávila said more than 12,000 people have been evacuated from their homes since the blazes erupted last week.
Meanwhile, at least 9,000 acres of pine forest and scrubland has been razed to the ground as flames show no sign of calming.
The fires have so far been contained to the north east of the island - away from the main tourist areas in the south west.
Despite this, the regional government has ordered the evacuation of a state-run hotel in the Teide volcano national park - around 50km from the fire zone.
Soldiers were drafted in to fight the flames around the clock while helicopters have been deployed to drop water.
The fire, described as the worst in Tenerife in decades, is threatening 11 town areas flanking a steep and craggy mountain area.
Access for firefighters is extremely difficult.
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The emergency services said air quality in 19 town areas was not good and urged people to stay indoors when possible and wear masks outdoors.
Police have now confirmed the first wildfire that sparked other blazes was started deliberately, Canary Islands regional President Fernando Clavijo said.
Clavijo said police had opened three lines of investigation but did not say if there had been any arrests.
After days of frustration, authorities said on Sunday Improved weather conditions helped firefighters make advances overnight in their battle to manage fires.
Dávila said: "The night was very difficult but thanks to the work of the firefighters, the results have been very positive."
But Spain is bracing for another heatwave, as temperatures are set to rocket to 40C in some areas.
Sweltering temperatures are expected across much of the country's mainland and islands on today and tomorrow.
The country's state weather service has issued a "special notice" for rising heat until the middle of the week.
More than 30 regions of Spain will be under orange weather warnings by tomorrow.
A number of yellow warnings are also in place across much of the mainland, the Balearic islands and the Canaries.
Highs of 30C, meanwhile, are expected in Tenerife this week.
It comes as a state of emergency has been declared in Canada as more than 1000 wildfires rage through the country - destroying an area roughly the size of Greece.
Around 30,000 households have been ordered to evacuate British Columbia Province and a further 36,000 are on alert.
Weather experts have declared 2023 an El Niño year - a natural phenomenon that occurs cyclically and causes fluctuations in the global climate.
The UN’s World Meteorological Organization said it will raise temperatures around the world, and the effect is likely to continue for the rest of the year.
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And despite the heat this summer, Europe's record temperature of 48.8C - recorded in 2021 in Sicily - has not been reached and is currently not forecast to be broken.
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