Wildfire prompts evacuations in Canary Islands

Flames and smoke from a forest fire are seen in the village of Valleseco, in the Canary Island of Gran Canaria, Spain, August 17, 2019. REUTERS/Borja Suarez

TEJEDA, Spain (Reuters) - A wildfire in the Canary Islands led to the evacuation of a small town in Gran Canaria island on Saturday, and officials said the blaze had a "great potential" to spread.

The wildfire started in the town of Valleseco, and an emergency area was also declared for the municipalities of Moya and Tejeda. In the latter, most parts of the town of 1,900 inhabitants were evacuated for precautionary reasons and roads were closed, the regional government said.

Seven helicopters, as well as firefighters on the ground, were battling the blaze.

A helicopter carries water to fight a forest fire seen in the village of Valleseco, in the Canary Island of Gran Canaria, Spain, August 17, 2019. REUTERS/Borja Suarez

Tejeda was already evacuated last week when another wildfire affected the area.

(Reporting by Borja Suarez and Joan Faus; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Marguerita Choy)

Flames and smoke from a forest fire are seen in the village of Valleseco, in the Canary Island of Gran Canaria, Spain, August 18, 2019. REUTERS/Borja Suarez

Flames and smoke from a forest fire are seen in the village of Valleseco, in the Canary Island of Gran Canaria, Spain, August 17, 2019. REUTERS/Borja Suarez

Two people look at flames and smoke from a forest fire, seen in the village of Valleseco, in the Canary Island of Gran Canaria, Spain, August 17, 2019. REUTERS/Borja Suarez

Flames and smoke from a forest fire are seen in the village of Valleseco, in the Canary Island of Gran Canaria, Spain, August 17, 2019. REUTERS/Borja Suarez

People who were evacuated from their homes look at a helicopter dropping water to fight a forest fire seen in the village of Valleseco, in the Canary Island of Gran Canaria, Spain, August 17, 2019. REUTERS/Borja Suarez

A helicopter drops water to fight a forest fire seen in the village of Valleseco, in the Canary Island of Gran Canaria, Spain, August 17, 2019. REUTERS/Borja Suarez

A plane drops water to fight a forest fire seen in the village of Valleseco, in the Canary Island of Gran Canaria, Spain, August 17, 2019. REUTERS/Borja Suarez

A resident who was evacuated from his home looks at the forest fire seen in the village of Valleseco, in the Canary Island of Gran Canaria, Spain, August 17, 2019. REUTERS/Borja Suarez