Canary Islands issues fire risk alert for Tenerife and Gran Canaria

The Government of the Canary Islands has issued a forest fire risk alert for Tenerife and Gran Canaria due to a tropical-like heat episode characterized by high temperatures, low humidity, and moderate winds.

In Tenerife, the alert covers the summits and mid-altitude areas of the southern and western slopes, where temperatures are expected to reach or exceed 33 degrees Celsius. In Gran Canaria, the alert affects the summits, northern slopes above 600 meters, and western, southern, and eastern slopes above 400 meters. The most severe conditions are anticipated in the southwestern mid-altitude areas and summits of Gran Canaria, where temperatures could reach up to 37 degrees Celsius, humidity may drop below 30%, and winds could exceed 30 kilometers per hour.

Other islands, including El Hierro, La Palma, and La Gomera, as well as non-alert zones in Tenerife and Gran Canaria, remain under a pre-alert status. Emergency services warn that these conditions increase the dryness of vegetation and the potential for rapid fire propagation. There is also a possibility of convective activity and electrical discharges in forested areas.