Andalucia supports wildfire mitigation efforts in the Canary Islands as fire devastates community

ON Sunday, members of Spain’s Military Emergency Unit (UME) left Andalucia for La Palma in the Canary Islands to help extinguish the island’s wildfire. 

Since the fire started early Saturday morning, it has already destroyed around 4,600 hectares of land. 

The delegate of the Spanish government in Andalucia, Pedro Fernández, has shown his support for La Palma’s residents, thanking emergency services via Twitter and working to deploy a seaplane from Malaga on Saturday to provide water to the area. 

The fire forced the evacuation of 4,255 residents within the towns of Tijarafe and Puntagorda as a precaution. 

A majority of residents were able to return to their homes Monday as Sunday’s weather conditions created favourable conditions for containing the fire.

 Currently, the number of affected hectares, which may be 1,000 less than the predicted 4,600, is under review as responders examine satellite imaging. 

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