Cooler weather overnight helps firefighters battling a wildfire on Spain’s Tenerife island

By ARTURO RODRÍGUEZ and CIARÁN GILES
Associated Press

SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, Canary Islands (AP) — Authorities say improved weather conditions have helped firefighters make advances overnight in their battle to tame a wildfire raging out of control for the past five days on the tourist island of Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands. Tenerife governor Rosa Dávila said the night was very difficult but thanks to firefighters, the results had been very positive. More than 12,000 people have been evacuated from their houses since the fire started Tuesday and up to Saturday more than 8,000 hectares (20,00 acres) of pine forest had been burned. The Canary Islands, like much of Spain, have been suffering a drought for the past two years.