La Palma, Spain - The wildfire that struck La Palma, one of Spain's Canary Islands, has spiraled out of control, leading to the evacuation of more than 2,000 people as of Saturday, according to authorities. As reported by AP, the devastating blaze has already consumed more than a dozen homes and scorched approximately 4,500 hectares of land. With the region facing a heat wave, officials fear the situation may deteriorate further.

Canary Islands regional president, Fernando Clavijo, expressed deep concern over the rapidly spreading fire, stating that it is currently beyond their control. Clavijo urged residents to heed evacuation calls, although some individuals were reluctant to leave their homes. In response to the emergency, at least 10 aircraft have been deployed to combat the fire, and additional water-dropping planes are en route to assist in containment efforts.

Vicente Rodríguez, the mayor of Puntagorda, a village in La Palma, highlighted the area's plight, pointing out that the municipality has been experiencing below-average rainfall in recent years, much like many parts of the drought-stricken mainland. This drying trend is attributed to shifting weather patterns, exacerbating the wildfire's impact.

Notably, La Palma is still recovering from a volcanic eruption that occurred two years ago, lasting three months and resulting in significant damage. While there were no casualties, nearly 3,000 buildings, several banana plantations, roads, and irrigation systems were buried under the volcanic activity. The island's resilience is now being tested once more by the fierce and unrelenting wildfire.