Canary Islands fires threaten ancient forest, birds
Source: Agencies |
August 13, 2012, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
FIERCE wildfires forced the evacuation of thousands of residents and were threatening some of Spain's most precious natural parks, including one that is a UNESCO world heritage site, officials said yesterday.
Fires on the Canary Islands' La Gomera and Tenerife led to the evacuation of more than 4,000 residents beginning late Saturday and the cutting off of many roads as precautionary measures, the regional government said. By mid-afternoon yesterday, residents were still not allowed to return to 18 towns and villages that had been evacuated, eight on the popular tourist island of Tenerife and 10 on La Gomera, the government said.
A statement said firefighting crews working on the islands were "finding it difficult to limit the spread of fire."
"We are living through hell, we have asked the central government for more resources with which to fight the fire," said Casimimo Curbelo, local government leader of La Gomera.
At the heart of his island lies Garajonay National Park, which experts say contains woodlands that have survived since the Tertiary age, 11 million years ago.
Water-carrying aircraft that doused flames when the fire first broke out there a week ago were sent elsewhere after officials decided the outbreak had been brought under control, only to find it was rekindled by winds and high temperatures, said regional official Nancy Melo. Due to the islands' location, 1,380 kilometers off Spain's southwestern tip, it can take up to a day for propeller-driven firefighting planes to return once deployed back to the mainland.
A dry winter has been followed by a scorching summer, with temperatures hitting 44 Celsius in some areas recently. The state meteorological agency warned of "a high risk of fires in the country." Regional governments reported 10 wildfires raging across Spain yesterday.
An outbreak at Cabaneros National Park in the west was causing concern because it is considered the largest surviving area of Iberian Mediterranean forest, pinelands that are home to an enormous variety of plant species and endangered fauna like the Spanish Imperial Eagle.
Another fire was affecting Donana natural park in the southwest, an area of outstanding beauty and also a valuable stopping-off location for Western Europe's migrating birds.
Fires on the Canary Islands' La Gomera and Tenerife led to the evacuation of more than 4,000 residents beginning late Saturday and the cutting off of many roads as precautionary measures, the regional government said. By mid-afternoon yesterday, residents were still not allowed to return to 18 towns and villages that had been evacuated, eight on the popular tourist island of Tenerife and 10 on La Gomera, the government said.
A statement said firefighting crews working on the islands were "finding it difficult to limit the spread of fire."
"We are living through hell, we have asked the central government for more resources with which to fight the fire," said Casimimo Curbelo, local government leader of La Gomera.
At the heart of his island lies Garajonay National Park, which experts say contains woodlands that have survived since the Tertiary age, 11 million years ago.
Water-carrying aircraft that doused flames when the fire first broke out there a week ago were sent elsewhere after officials decided the outbreak had been brought under control, only to find it was rekindled by winds and high temperatures, said regional official Nancy Melo. Due to the islands' location, 1,380 kilometers off Spain's southwestern tip, it can take up to a day for propeller-driven firefighting planes to return once deployed back to the mainland.
A dry winter has been followed by a scorching summer, with temperatures hitting 44 Celsius in some areas recently. The state meteorological agency warned of "a high risk of fires in the country." Regional governments reported 10 wildfires raging across Spain yesterday.
An outbreak at Cabaneros National Park in the west was causing concern because it is considered the largest surviving area of Iberian Mediterranean forest, pinelands that are home to an enormous variety of plant species and endangered fauna like the Spanish Imperial Eagle.
Another fire was affecting Donana natural park in the southwest, an area of outstanding beauty and also a valuable stopping-off location for Western Europe's migrating birds.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
