UGC: wildfire burns hillside forest on the Spanish island of Tenerife

Around 250 firefighters on Wednesday battled a wildfire raging "out of control" on Spain's holiday island of Tenerife that forced road closures and the evacuation of five villages, officials said.

The fire, which broke out on Tuesday night, was raging through a forested area with steep ravines in the northeastern part of the island, part of the Canary Islands archipelago off northwestern Africa.

The wildfire comes after the Canary Islands were hit by a heat wave that has left many areas tinder dry, increasing the risk of wildfires.

Heat waves have become more likely due to climate change, scientists say. As global temperatures rise over time, heat waves are predicted to become more frequent and intense, and their impacts more widespread.