Wildfires

Wildfires - Canary Islands

A fire raged out of control on the Spanish holiday island of Gran Canaria Monday, forcing evacuations as flames rose so high even water-dropping planes could not operate in what was dubbed an "environmental tragedy". The blaze, the third in 10 days in the mountainous centre of the island, has forced the evacuation of several villages with a combined population of 9,000.

Altogether, 1,000 firefighters and other crew and 14 water-dropping helicopters and planes were working on controlling the blaze, which is estimated to have destroyed 10,000 hectares (24,700 acres).

Wildfires - Texs, USA

Firefighters in Texas are battling three wildfires covering more than 17,000 acres across the state.

A fire in Hardeman County near Quanah has burned an estimated 8,830 acres and is 40 percent contained, said the Texas A&M Forest Service.

Another fire in Sutton County has burned over 2,400 acres. The Bird Ranch Fire in Cottle County is estimated to have spread to 7,000 acres and is 25 percent contained.

Wildfires - Alaska

The Alaska Railroad has cancelled passenger service between Anchorage and Denali National Park because of a fire burning along tracks north of Willow. The fire began Saturday when high wind blew a tree onto a powerline at Mile 91 Parks Highway. Continued strong winds Sunday night pushed the fire across the highway and across railroad tracks. Crews are removing numerous burned trees that fell on tracks. The fire by Sunday night had grown to nearly 3 square miles (7.7 sq. kilometers).