UK tourists travelling to Tenerife issued urgent warning due to 'heightened risk'

A travel warning has been issued for UK holidaymakers and tourists heading to the Canary Islands. A drought in the area has led to heightened risks of large wildfires as the summer approaches, UK tourists are warned.

On June 12, the Canary Islands President Fernando Clavijo, Security Councillor Nieves Barreto and Territorial Policy Councillor Manuel Miranda met at the presidency headquarters in Santa Cruz de Tenerife to discuss the current weather situation and the resources at hand, BirminghamLive reports.

Mr Miranda said: "This summer poses a greater risk for large fires compared to last year." The Canaries are facing a 70 per cent likelihood of higher-than-average temperatures this summer, according to early projections from meteorologists.

In 2023, Tenerife experienced the worst fires in the Canary Islands in 40 years. Thousands of residents were evacuated from their homes, while the fires — which continued burning for two months — worked their way through around 6 per cent of the island.

Authorities have confirmed that the 2023 wildfire was started deliberately in an area that was hard to reach by firefighters. High temperatures and strong winds then helped the flames to spread, according to emergency services on the holiday hotspot.

Tee Canary Islands have been experiencing a prolonged drought lasting over a decade, coupled with more than 24 months of unusually high temperatures, sometimes exceeding the average by 3C. The past year recorded only half the expected rainfall, with a precipitation deficit of 49 per cent, six percentage points higher than the previous year.

The UK Foreign Office has not yet issued specific guidance on the Tenerife wildfires. Their website has general advice on coping with extreme temperatures in Spain as well as advice on staying safe in the event of forest fires.

Tenerife is one of the main Canary Islands alongside Lanzarote.