A massive forest fire in the Canary Islands, allegedly started by a man who set light to his used toilet paper, has now ravaged almost 7% of the island of La Palma, according to local authorities. The fire has forced the evacuation of 2,500 people and claimed the life of a forest ranger, Francisco José Santana. Three wildfires blackened swaths of forest near Aveiro, 120 miles (200km) north of Lisbon, where one blaze was advancing along a three-mile front. It classified eight wildfires in the north of the country as major blazes that were out of control. Portugal is also battling its annual wildfire season, with more than 4,400 firefighters tackling hundreds of blazes across the country.

Source: The Guardian August 09, 2016 11:18 UTC