Fires on La Gomera

Fires on the island of La Gomera have so far damaged an estimated 700 hectares of land near the Garajonay National Park.

Firefighters, assisted by helicopters and water bombers, have been fighting blazes on the small island of La Gomera in the Canary Islands.

The fires started on Saturday, caused either by the current hot weather or by a spark from an electrical cable in the forest, and forced some 500 people to be evacuated from their homes as a precautionary measure. The area most affected is around the municipalities of Vallehermoso, Hermigua and Agulo.

Troops from the Emergency Military Unit (UME) in Sevilla also flew to the island to assist and relieve local troops. At one point there were over 500 people involved in fighting the fires.

Most of those evacuated have now returned to their homes as the fires were brought under control late yesterday.

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