Spanish authorities announced today, Sunday, that at least four thousand people have been evacuated due to a wildfire on La Palma island that has gone out of control, coinciding with a heatwave sweeping across Europe. Ten air units and 300 ground firefighters are participating in efforts to control the blaze on the island, which is part of a Spanish archipelago off the coast of West Africa.
The local government president in the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, stated that the fire has resulted in the destruction of at least 13 homes. Officials reported that the fire has consumed approximately 115,000 acres of land.
The Spanish royal family announced that the King of Spain, Felipe VI, held a phone call with Clavijo on Saturday, expressing his support for the residents of La Palma. The eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano previously destroyed over two thousand buildings and forced thousands to leave their homes as lava began to flow.
