Hundreds evacuated as wildfire burns on Gran Canaria island

by IANS |

Madrid, July 27 (IANS) Hundreds of residents, as well as 100 children attending a summer camp, have been evacuated after a wildfire began on the island of Gran Canaria in Spain, which is currently raging.

The regional government confirmed that the fire has burned around 200 hectares, while around 100 firefighters from the Canary Islands group have been mobilised, along with nine aircraft and helicopters, reports Xinhua news agency.

Spanish Civil Guards evacuated residents from the Pico de Nieves region of the island, as well as 240 inhabitants in the municipality of Cuevas Blancas.

Three roads in the area have also been closed to traffic.

This week's blaze is the second major wildfire to affect the Canary Islands recently, coming just a week after another wildfire burned 3,500 hectares on the nearby island of La Palma.