Firefighters are struggling to contain the fierce forest fires, as gusts of wind reach up to 70 kilometres per hour, making it difficult to control. More than 1,000 people have been forced to flee their homes as several towns were threatened by the out-of-control fire, which has spread towards a national park and an area popular with holidaymakers on the island in Spain.
Crews have been forced to use planes and helicopters to fight the raging blaze, which is 20 miles from Las Palmas.
Officials said the fire poses a threat to several towns as well as Tamadaba national park.
The inferno had ripped through at least 1,500 hectares in the mountains after it was allegedly sparked by a welder on Saturday and flared up on Sunday.
As more than 200 firefighters battled the flames, huge plumes of smoke could be seen from many parts of the volcanic island – a popular destination for Britons – and from about 70 miles away on the neighbouring island of Tenerife.
Gran Canaria wildfires are raging across the Spanish holiday destination (Image: REUTERS )
Gran canaria wildfires: Crews have been forced to use planes and helicopters to fight the raging blaze, which is 20 miles from Las Palmas (Image: GETTY )
The smoke was also visible on satellite images taken from space.
Emergency services said strong gusts of wind had complicated the situation and forced “new evacuations in different neighbourhoods of the municipality including La Solana, El Espinillo, El Chorrillo and Los Majuelos”.
A 55-year-old Spanish man has been arrested on suspicion of reckless behaviour for allegedly starting the fire while using a soldering iron on open land near his house.
Witness Carla Rodriguez described the scene as “one of the most painful images I’ve seen in my life” as she travelled to a local festival in Juncalillo with some friends.
She said: “The first time I saw the fire we were reaching the diversion to Juncalillo and I realised how close it was.
“I did not expect it, since I had read that it was under control in different areas.
READ MORE: Gran Canaria emergency: Wildfire ‘overwhelms’ popular holiday island
Gran canaria wildfires: Officials said the fire poses a threat to several towns as well as Tamadaba national park (Image: GETTY )
“But after the party, when we returned, we decided to look again to see how much the fire had progressed and seeing it out of control was devastating.
“The tears came out since I love nature and seeing it burn that way was quite worrying.”
On Saturday night, the emergency had been downgraded to level 2 after firefighters believed they had got it under some sort of control.
But it flared up again on Sunday morning, forcing hundreds of people to flee their homes and leaving firefighters scrambling to contain it while bringing in extra resources.
The Gran Canaria fire brigade tweeted: “We are overwhelmed by the situation.
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Gran canaria wildfires: The smoke was also visible on satellite images taken from space (Image: EPA)
“We continue working and fighting for our island!!!”
President of the Canary Islands, Angel Victor Torres, said the fire was still burning out of control.
At a press conference, he confirmed 1,000 residents have been evacuated from a dozen districts of the municipalities of Tejeda, Artenara and Galdar.
He said damage to the heritage was caused “by imprudence and human recklessness” but stressed “the best news is that at this time nobody has been injured”.
Displaced residents spent the night in emergency shelters at municipal buildings such as sports centres, schools and community halls.
Gran canaria wildfires: Officials said the fire poses a threat to several towns as well as Tamadaba national park. The inferno had ripped through at least 1,500 hectares in the mountains (Image: EPA)
At least one campsite has been evacuated due to the blaze which broke out while Gran Canaria was at high risk of forest fires.
Margarita, a local woman who was forced to flee the village of La Culata, said she, like other residents, doesn’t know if her home is still standing.
Desperate for updates, she told Cope: “We know nothing. We have no information of any kind. Here we are waiting to find out.”
More than 200 firefighters were battling the inferno.
At least nine helicopters and multiple planes were being used to dump water on the inferno.
A seaplane had travelled from Malaga to join the effort.
Dozens of members of the Military Emergency Unit were brought in to help, local media reported.
Gran canaria wildfires: A thousand people were forced to flee from their homes (Image: EPA)
Flames lit up the night sky as crowds gathered to watching the fire on the mountainside.
In daylight, the smoke was clearly visible from the air from many parts of the island and from Tenerife.
The fire started in Artenara, which is in the western part of Gran Canaria in the mountains and about 20 miles from the capital of Las Palmas, at about midday on Saturday.
According to bulletins, the fire spread rapidly through the summit on but there were hopes it was being brought under control on Saturday night.
But on Sunday morning, the island’s council tweeted: “During the morning, 10 air means will be incorporated into the #IFArtenara extinction tasks at the #GRANCANARIA summit.
“9 helicopters from different Administrations (State, Government and Cabildo) and an airplane will participate.”
The districts of Las Penas, El Tablado, El Rincon, Juan Fernandez, La Culata, Pena Rajada, Las Arbejas and Las Crucitas are all affected.
Gran Canaria is a popular destination for thousands of British holidaymakers every summer.
Home to almost 850,000 people, it is the second most populous of Spain’s Canary Islands, an Atlantic archipelago off the coast of Northwest Africa.
Additional reporting by Maria Ortega