Forest fire engulfs Canary Island villages

A forest fire engulfed part of the Canary Island of La Gomera, forcing the evacuation of about 200 people, officials said tonight.

Residents of the villages of Chipude and El Cercado were moved for their own protection as firefighters tackled the blaze, which was about a mile wide, said Casimiro Curbelo, head of the island’s government.

Two helicopters were being used to fight the blaze, Curbelo said. No injuries were reported.

About one-third of La Gomera is forest, much of it protected in the Garajonay National Park, which is designated by Unesco as a World Heritage site.