A hydroplane collects water to battle fore fires on the island of La Palma, Spain, on Sunday afternoon (August 23).

The fire started last Friday evening (August 21) on a hillside in the Garafia district in the north of La Palma, one Spain's Canary Islands, off northwestern Africa.

Yellow and red hydoplanes were flying throughout the weekend, collecting water in front of beachgoers before flying away to dump the liquid on the raging flames.

Soaring temperatures in the area caused the flames to advance rapidly with residents in Catela and El Colmenero evacuated.

Minister of Public Administrations, Justice and Security of the Government of the Canary Islands, Julio Pérez, said on Sunday night that the fire had been stabilised but more than 800 acres of pine forest, grassland and scrub had been destroyed.