Massive wildfires in Canada and Tenerife: Thousands of people evacuated

from Euronews with dpa, AP, AFP

Originally published on 19/08/2023 – 21:43

The number of evacuees has risen to 7,600 as wildfires ravaged the Spanish holiday island of Tenerife. According to officials, it was one of the worst fires on the Canary Islands’ largest island in 40 years.

But the situation is stable. The spread of the fire was largely contained. 26 0 The fire is being extinguished by emergency services and several planes and helicopters.

“We now know in which areas to fight fires and where to take protective measures,” Spain’s Interior Minister Fernando Grande Marlasca told reporters.

Dramatic situation in Canada

In Canada, massive wildfires have been raging in the provinces of British Columbia and the Northwest Territories for several days. More than 19,000 people have been evacuated from Yellowknife, the regional capital of the Northwest Territories, officials said. For British Columbia on the Pacific coast, the territorial government declared a state of emergency for the entire province. The fire spread rapidly within 24 hours.

Many parts of Canada have been battling wildfires for months. Wildfires are an annual occurrence in many parts of Canada, and there is always a need to evacuate people. However, this year was the worst wildfire season in the nation’s history.