Several villages on the Canary island of Gran Canaria have been evacuated due to a large forest fire. On Sunday, around 1,000 people were evacuated.

The fire is raging over a large area near the town of Artenara and is spreading towards the Tamadaba National Park and a popular tourist area, according to the island's emergency services. Firefighters are battling the flames around 30 kilometers from the capital Las Palmas with the help of planes and helicopters.

A witness at the scene describes the scene as "one of the most painful things I've seen in my life.".

On Saturday, a 55-year-old man was arrested in connection with the fire. Local police believe the cause of the fire was a soldering iron.

Source:TT-di