More people were evacuated from their homes on the Spanish island of Tenerife on Saturday morning as a wildfire raging in the north of the island remained out of control, but the flames have so far avoided major tourist areas.

The blaze broke out on Wednesday in a mountainous national park around the Mount Teide volcano - Spain's highest peak - amid hot and dry weather.

Regional leader Fernando Clavijo, speaking late on F riday, said some 5,000 hectares (12,000 acres) were affected with a perimeter of 50 km (30 miles), and 7,000 people were evacuated or confined to their homes.

Earlier in the week, Clavijo called the fire the most complex the Canary Islands have faced in 40 years, due to a combination of hot, dry and windy weather, as well as difficult terrain.

The wildfire has burned through around 5,000 hectares (12,355 acres) of land since it began Tuesday, including swathes of the Canary Island's largest natural park.

Meanwhile, the head of Tenerife's environmental agency warned that temperatures are expected to continue rising throughout Saturday and Sunday while humidity decreases, meaning difficult situations cannot be ruled out.

The fire has also caused significant damage to a canal that brings water to towns on the north of the island, complicating the situation even more.

Because of the so-far irreparable damage to this "critical infrastructure," thousands of residents have experienced temporary water cuts, while authorities call for "responsible use" of the water to ensure enough is available for both residents and firefighters.

Pedro Martinez, director of forest services, said the wildfire is currently "beyond the capacity of extinction" but firefighters were doing everything possible to avoid human damage.