Thousands Evacuated As Forest Fire Rages In Spain's La Palma Amid Europe's Heatwave

As Europe experiences extreme heatwave conditions, thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes on the Canary island of La Palma due to a destructive forest fire.

A picture taken on July 15, 2023 on the Spanish Canary Island of La Palma shows the evacuated town of Tijarafe surrounded by smoke billowing from wild fire near La Caldera de Taburiente National Park.

Source : Getty

Over 4,000 individuals have been forced to leave their homes on Spain's Canary Island of La Palma as a forest fire engulfs the northwest region, while Europe grapples with scorching temperatures during the Cerberus heatwave. The regional government declared an official alert for forest fire risk in neighboring islands such as Tenerife and Gran Granaria. So far, the blaze has destroyed a dozen homes and ravaged approximately 4,500 hectares of land on Palma.

According to The Guardian, "the regional government on Sunday it had put neighbouring islands including Tenerife and Gran Granaria on official alert for the risk of forest fires, with 4,500 hectares of land and a dozen homes already destroyed in Palma."

The rapid spread of the fire was caused by strong winds, climatic conditions, and the ongoing heatwave, according to Fernando Clavijo, president of the Canary Islands regional government. "The fire advanced very quickly," Clavijo said, blaming the quick spread on "wind, climate conditions, and the heatwave that we are experiencing," the report quoted him as saying.

The second deadly heatwave, named Charon after the mythical Greek boatman who transports souls to the underworld, is expected to last another week in southern Europe, according to the report.

According to the report, more than 15 Italian cities, including Rome, Bologna, and Florence, have been placed on alert, with temperatures expected to reach 43°C in Rome and 47°C in Sardinia on Tuesday.

Extreme heat is also expected in southern Italy. The Acropolis in Greece has been temporarily closed between 11:30 AM and 5:30 PM. to protect tourists from dangerous heat, dehydration, and the risk of sunstroke, it said.

The European Space Agency has warned that the highest temperature ever recorded in Europe, 48.8°C on August 11, 2021 in Floridia, Sicily, may be surpassed this week. Last week, land surface temperatures in Sicily's eastern slopes exceeded 50°C, while temperatures in Rome and Naples reached 45°C, and Madrid and Seville reached 46°C and 47°C, respectively.

These extreme temperatures in Europe come after record-breaking global temperatures in June and early July. A report by the Copernicus Climate Change Service revealed that June 2023 was over 0.5°C above the 1991-2020 average, accompanied by unprecedented sea temperatures and record-low Antarctic sea ice.

Last Monday, the World Meteorological Organisation announced that the planet had its hottest few days on record in early July.

Morocco is also expected to experience above-average temperatures this weekend, with some provinces experiencing highs of 47°C, which are more typical of August than July. According to the meteorological service, the scorching conditions have raised concerns about water shortages.