Residents at the top of Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria’s West Hill, on the other side overlooking Amadores, were shocked at around 22:30 on Friday night after a fire broke out in the barranco below the Lairaga apartment complex.
Local resident and fitness trainer, Ben Stone, managed to capture a video of the blaze, including the heroic actions of at least one resident who appeared to be trying to tackle the fire from above using a garden hose.
Fire crews were called to the scene, after a call to the main 112 emergency number, but will have had to access the burning vegetation from below Calle Tenerife, making their task more difficult.
In the video residents of the complex can be seen in a state of panic as the fire threatens their properties.
According to reports it took more than an hour for the fire to be brought under control. No injuries or property damage of been reported.
It is not clear how the blaze occurred, however following more than two weeks of heatwaves, and temperatures in the shade climbing to more than 40ºC, tinderbox conditions on the ground have meant several of the islands are on high alert for the potential for wild fires.
Fires on the neighbouring island of Tenerife have already burned more than 1000 hectares over recent days, and all though the Red Alert for maximum temperatures has now been down graded on Gran Canaria, alerts are still in place for fire.
