Watch: Massive forest fire in Spain’s Canary Islands spreads into 1,800 hectares in 24 hours

The fire has now hampered access to the area posing significant challenges for the firemen. According to reports, the fire so far forced the evacuation of nearly 4,000 people.

The authorities are focusing on a defensive strategy to halt the advancement of fire and safeguard the properties of local residents.

The severity of the situation has prompted the deployment of substantial resources, including 14 aircraft and a combined force of 250 firefighters and military personnel. Efforts to counteract the blaze received reinforcement from a water bombing seaplane, which arrived from the mainland on Wednesday, with two more aircraft that were slated to join the operation on Thursday, the Reuters report added.

In response to the mounting threat, access to Tenerife's mountainous areas, including the popular Mount Teide, has been closed.

Meanwhile, Canarias Radio said that evacuation efforts have been underway and that approximately 150 individuals were rescued from a cluster of sparsely populated villages in the island's northeastern region.

Despite the turmoil, the island's two airports remained operational, according to Spain's airport operator Aena.

Spain's meteorological agency had earlier warned of escalating fire risks due to drought and high temperatures.

As per a New York Times report, the spring of 2023 saw Spain grappling with a major wildfire, followed by an unprecedented heat wave that scorched Andalusia in April, underscoring the gravity of climate-driven challenges the country confronts.