Out of control' wildfire on Spain's Tenerife Canada and Portugal
Out,of,control',wildfire,on,Spain's,Tenerife,Canada,and,Portugal
The fire has spread some 8 sq km (800 hectares) since it started in a nature reserve on the north-east coast of the island late on Tuesday evening.
volcano, Spain's highest peak, and say secondary fires have now broken out.
Helicopters spraying water have been seen flying over the area.
The main blaze is spreading through woodland and ravines in the Candelaria and Arafo areas, making it difficult for firefighters to tackle.
Rosa Davila, president of the Tenerife Council, said aircraft were necessary because it was a steep area.
"The fire is out of control, the scenario is not exactly very positive," the head of the regional government, Fernando Clavijo, said at a news conference in Tenerife late on Wednesday. "Our goal is for it to stop gaining ground. It was a very hard day," he said.
Around 250 firefighters backed by 13 planes and helicopters, including three sent from mainland Spain, worked to contain the fire in an area difficult to reach, Clavijo said.
He said the flames had so far burned about 1,800 hectares.
The villages of Arrate, Chivisaya, Media Montana, Ajafona and Las Lagunetas were evacuated on Wednesday morning as a precaution because of thick smoke.
Local authorities have cut off roads leading to the mountains on the northeastern part of the island.
In a few hours, the fire has spread to more than 300 hectares and there are many secondary fires, said Pedro Martinez, head of Tenerife’s emergency services.
The villages of Arrate, Chivisaya, Media Montaña, Ajafoña and Las Lagunetas have been evacuated, and local authorities said further measures would be taken during the day.
During the last week, a heatwave in the Canary Islands has left many areas bone dry and increased the risk of wildfires.
 La Palma, which form part of the Canary Islands archipelago.
The world has already warmed by about 1.1C since the industrial era began and temperatures will keep rising unless governments around the world make steep cuts to emissions.
 Read more
Newcastle’s transfer Lewis Hall for around £30 million
Lionel Messi scores his ninth Leagues Cup goal from about 36-yard distance
Sarah H
Also on site :