About 1,000 people have been evacuated in Gran Canaria, Spain, as a vast wildfire spread towards a National Park and an area popular with holidaymakers, emergency services said.

Firefighters used planes and helicopters to fight the blaze about 32 kilometres from the capital Las Palmas. The fire is a threat to several towns as well as the Tamadaba national park on the west of the island, authorities said on Twitter.

The video above shows the wildfire raging through a forest near the town of Jucalillo on the island of Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands.

Carla Rodgriguez, who filmed the video, told Reuters she saw the fire while on the way to a local festival.

"The first time I saw the fire we were reaching the diversion to Juncalillo and I realised how close it was. I did not expect it since I had read that it was under control in different areas," she said.

"But after the party when we returned, we decided to look again to see how much the fire had progressed and seeing it out of control was devastating. The tears came out since I love nature and seeing it burn that way was quite worrying."

Police believe the fire was started by someone using a soldering iron. A 55-year-old man was arrested on Saturday.

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