Over 4,000 People Evacuated as Massive Fire Hit La Palma Island
- Istimewa
La Palma – Massive fire hit La Palma island in Spain burned about 3,600 hectares of land and forest over the weekend, local provincial chief Sergio Rodriguez said on Monday.
Also, 4,200 residents evacuated their homes. However, it is known about 2,000 of them were allowed to return.
According to Rodriguez, the weather improved on Sunday night, but he told Antena3 television that the fires were still active and not under control. He said that the most worrying areas are around Tijarafe and Caldera Taburiente National Park.
A total of 500 firefighters and 10 aircraft were deployed to extinguish the fires. In addition to engulfing a large part of the forest area called "Green Island", the fire also destroyed several homes and businesses.
Ilustrasi kebakaran hutan
- ANTARA FOTO/Budi Candra Setya
Nancy Castro, who saw her home, grocery store, and vineyard destroyed by the fire on Monday, told local media Canarias7 that she was "shaken".
"The insurance will give us money, but 25 years of hard work have been lost, and no one can give it back to us. It's like a curse. La Palma still hasn't recovered from the volcano, and now we're experiencing this. emotionally, it's very difficult," Castro remarked.
Castro said the volcanic eruption that devastated the island in 2021, which lasted 85 days and caused $946 million or IDR 14,2 Trillion worth of damage, and destroyed at least three thousand buildings, according to official government figures.
La Palma is a small island that forms part of the Canary Islands in the Atlantic, with a population of around 83,500.
Although strong winds and heat waves fueled the blaze, police said they are still investigating the origin of the fire, which they suspect was caused by human "carelessness". One suspicion is that the fire was linked to an outdoor bonfire celebration.
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