VIOLENT blaze in southern Tenerife close to Teide National Park has already wiped out 544 acres and is still raging.
As yet, nobody has been evacuated as the nearest towns, Vilaflor and Granadilla de Abona, are five kilometres away, but high winds sweeping the Canary Islands are fanning the flames and, if the inferno is not contained soon, this situation may change.
The fire started on Sunday night and hydroplanes and helicopters have been brought in due to the altitude and the fact that the flames are gradually gaining height.
Emergency services had to tackle the blaze from the ground at first, since airborne methods cannot be used in the dark.
A hiker discovered the fire at 21.50 on Sunday and called emergency services.
The island council, or Cabildo, in Tenerife suspect the inferno is the work of arsonists – or at least caused by human negligence.
