Over 1,000 Evacuated As Canary Island Fire Roars To Life - AFP

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Hundreds of people were evacuated in Spain's Canary Islands Monday due to a wind-fueled blaze which has raged in soaring heat since Friday, officials said.

A total of 1,050 people were ordered from their homes in the hamlets of Mogan, San Bartolome de Tirajana and Tejeda on the island of Gran Canary while an undetermined number of people have sought shelter elsewhere on their own, a local government spokesman said.

The fire, which broke out in a mountainous and sparsely inhabited part of the island but has since spread, has nine active fronts that is burning in hard to reach areas, he added. "The situation is difficult," the spokesman said.

More than 200 firefighters, army and civil protection workers backed by seven helicopters and a water bomber, or a plane dropping water, were battling the blaze which has so far destroyed more than 3,500 hectares (8,645 acres) of land. The flames had already reached several homes in Mogan, an employee of the hamlet told AFP earlier.

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