During August 2019, a number of forest fires broke out in the Canary Islands of Gran Canaria, Tenerife and Lanzarote.

[4] A second fire broke out in Cazadores on 13 August, in the municipality of Telde, causing the evacuation of 25 residents.

As of 19 August, the fire had destroyed around 3400 hectares, resulting in the evacuation of about 8000 people from approximately 40 towns in the region, including those affected by the Artenara wildfire just a few days ago.

The affected area had grown to 10,000 hectares (25,000 acres) (over 6% of the entire island), making it the worst fire in all of Spain in the last six years.

[12] It is also clear that the hot, windy and dry weather conditions greatly contributed to the fire's rapid propagation.

Many also blamed the neglect of local authorities for not having cleared the thick undergrowth and dry leaves accumulated on the forest floor, further fuelling the fire.

In addition, firefighters pointed at the poor political management of emergencies on the island, inadequate work conditions, a shortage of firefighters and the fact that the nearest fire station to the forest fire had been closed for the past eight years.

[13] The president of the cabildo insular (island council), Antonio Morales, disagreed with these claims stating that a team of extraordinary professionals works throughout the year on preventive measures such as firewalls.