One park ranger died and around 700 people have been evacuated as a wildfire blazed out of control in La Palma, an island on Spain's Canary archipelago, the deceased man's union and emergency services said on Thursday (August 4).
Francisco Jose Santana, a married father of five, died while fighting the fire which is being fanned by high winds and is still to be contained after starting on Wednesday (August 3) afternoon.
Spanish police said they had arrested a 27-year-old German man who, according to a source from the investigation, has admitted to starting the fire accidentally.
Spanish media reported the fire quickly raged out of control after the man attempted to burn used toilet paper.
The last major fire on the island was in 2009 when 4000 people were evacuated. The island is a popular tourist destination and the wildfire comes at the height of a record summer holiday season.
