Spanish firefighters have managed to stabilise the bulk of a huge wildfire raging for over a week on the holiday island of Tenerife, allowing more evacuated residents to return to their homes, officials said Wednesday.
About 300 firefighters and soldiers backed by 18 water-dropping aircraft were battling the blaze, which broke out late August 15 in an area of steep ravines and cliffs in the northeast of the island, part of Spain's Canary Islands.
The fire, which has a perimeter of some 90 kilometres (55 miles), has so far ravaged around 15,000 hectares (37,000 acres) of land, or about seven percent of Tenerife's surface area, according to the regional government, making it Spain's biggest fire this year.
"It is not yet under control, far from it, but the largest part is stabilised," the archipelago's head of emergencies, Manuel Miranda, told a news conference.
"It has been an extremely difficult battle, which emergency services at this moment, fortunately, are in the process of winning."
The blaze forced over 12,000 people to flee their homes but as of Wednesday morning there were now just over 3,000 evacuees left, the technical head of the archipelago's emergency services, told the news conference.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Monday during a visit to Tenerife that his government would classify the areas affected by the blaze as disaster zones, a move which will trigger emergency subsidies and other support measures.
The blaze broke out after the archipelago suffered a heatwave that left many areas tinder dry.
The Canary Islands typically experience spring-like temperatures all year, but temperatures have recently soared to 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in some parts.
The seven-island archipelago is located off the northwest coast of Africa and southwest of mainland Spain. At their nearest point, the islands are 100 kilometres (60 miles) from Morocco.
As global temperatures rise due to climate change, scientists have warned that heatwaves will become more frequent and more intense.
Last year, Spain suffered more than 500 blazes that destroyed more than 300,000 hectares, making it the worst-hit country in Europe, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS).
So far this year, it has had 340 fires, which have ravaged almost 76,000 hectares, EFFIS figures show.
Artificial Intelligence Analysis
Defense Industry Analyst:
8/10
The article discusses the efforts of Spanish firefighters to stabilize a large wildfire on the island of Tenerife. It provides insight into the methods used to contain the fire, such as 300 firefighters and 18 water dropping aircraft, and the impact of the fire, with 15,000 hectares of land affected. It also highlights the governments response to the fire, with the Prime Minister declaring the affected areas as disaster zones. This provides valuable information for defense industry analysts, allowing them to understand the current state of the wildfire and the response of the government. Additionally, the article compares the current situation to past events, such as the heatwave that led to the fire, which can help analysts assess the current situation and make predictions about future events.
Stock Market Analyst:
7/10
This article provides some useful information for stock market analysts, as it gives an indication of the current state of the Spanish economy. The article discusses the Prime Ministers response to the wildfire, which includes the declaration of the affected areas as disaster zones. This is likely to have an economic impact, as the government will provide emergency subsidies and other support measures to help those affected. Additionally, the article mentions the heatwave that preceded the fire, which could indicate a potential future risk of similar events happening. This could have implications for the stock market, as it could affect the performance of companies in the affected areas.
General Industry Analyst:
6/10
This article provides some useful information for general industry analysts, as it discusses the efforts of Spanish firefighters to contain the wildfire on the island of Tenerife. It provides insight into the methods used to contain the fire, such as 300 firefighters and 18 water dropping aircraft, and the impact of the fire, with 15,000 hectares of land affected. The article also mentions the heatwave that preceded the fire, which could indicate a potential future risk of similar events happening. This could have implications for general industry analysts, as it could affect the performance of companies in the affected areas.
Analyst Summary
:
The article discusses the efforts of Spanish firefighters to stabilize a large wildfire on the island of Tenerife. The fire has a perimeter of 90 kilometres and has so far burned 15,000 hectares of land. The Prime Minister has declared the affected areas as disaster zones, which will trigger emergency subsidies and other support measures. The article also mentions the heatwave that preceded the fire, which could indicate a potential future risk of similar events happening. Defense industry analysts can use this information to understand the current state of the wildfire and the governments response, while stock market and general industry analysts can use the article to assess the potential economic and industry impacts of the fire.Investigative
Question:
- 1. How have the emergency subsidies and other support measures provided by the government impacted the affected areas?
- 2. What other measures have been taken to limit the spread of the wildfire and protect the areas from future risks?
- 3.
What long-term economic impacts could the wildfire have on the island of Tenerife?4. What has been the response of the local government and what steps are being taken to ensure the safety of the residents?
5. How does the current situation compare with significant events and trends in the space and defense industry over the past 25 years?
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