Major fire burning in Gran Canaria

[Janet]

There's quite a major fire burning on Gran Canaria. It started around  midday and has several primary and secondary fronts in the Las Lagunetas area between Tejeda and San Mateo and is now said to be out of control. Some 100 firefighters together with three helicopters are battling the blaze, with teams from Tenerife set to help.

Consejera insular de Medio Ambiente y Emergencias María del Mar Arévalo and firefighting director Luis Eduardo Arencibia, together with the chief of the Consorcio de Emergencias de Gran Canaria, Emilio Duch, say that it is one of the most difficult fires in the last few years in the island, with meteorological conditions, particularly high temperatures and high winds, making things very much more complicated. Various areas have been evacuated and some roads have been closed.

Meteorologists say that a weather front bringing rain could affect the Canaries over the next 24 hours, and to some extent hopes are pinned on its arrival to help firefighters, but unfortunately it looks possible that it will pass us by. The Cabildo is therefore considering instituting a Level 2 setting, which would involve the Canarian Government.

[Janet]

and in the last few minutes it has been declared a Level 2.

[Janet]

Firefighting authorities say that this fire is now stabilized, thanks in no little part to weather conditions which have seen cloud cover and a notable reduction in temperatures. The wind, too, has died down somewhat. The island Cabildo says that it hopes they will be able to declare the fire "under control" over the weekend, and given the favourable evolution, has requested the emergency status to be reduced back to Level 1, to bring firefighting efforts back under island control. JA

[Janet]

As of 12.07, the fire has been formally confirmed as "under control".