Canary Islands parks at risk from wildfires

Fierce fires have forced the evacuation of thousands of residents and are threatening some of Spain’s most precious natural parks, including one that is a Unesco world heritage site.

Fires on the Canary islands of La Gomera and Tenerife led to the evacuation of more than 4,000 residents beginning late on Saturday and the closing of many roads as precautionary measures, the regional government said. By mid-afternoon yesterday, residents were still not allowed to return to 18 towns and villages that had been evacuated, eight on the tourist island of Tenerife and ten on La Gomera, the government said.

“We are living through hell, we have asked the central government for more resources,” said La Gomera council leader Casimimo Curbelo.