SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, July 21 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The President of the Government of the Canary Islands, Ángel Víctor Torres, announced this Thursday that the fire that originated in the center of Los Campeches, in the upper area of Los Realejos, has risen to level 2 and the UME (Military Unit of Emergencies).
The objective is to help the members of the forestry brigades in ground work with the low scrub and brambles while the two helicopters mobilized by the Cabildo and the GES (Emergencies and Rescue Group) operate from the air.
The president of the Cabildo, Pedro Martín, has also indicated that the Government of the Canary Islands has been asked to activate another two helicopters, one of them kamov type, and the Cabildo of La Gomera the Air Tractor with retardant liquid.
The objective of this deployment is that the fire “does not get out of hand” as it did in 2007, since it is an area with a lot of brush that can fuel the flames.
He has indicated that the UME has been activated to get reinforcements on the ground and prevent the extension of the surface of the fire and that the embers go out.
“We are seeing how it is moving and it could be stopped, but it is as important to be in the front as not to leave embers behind, that is the job,” he commented, highlighting that it favors that there is little wind and temperatures, although they are high, “They are not fired.”
Martín has shown his desire that the fire can be contained for the next few hours and valued that there are very few houses in the area, so the access of people who are not related to the security device will be restricted.
He has also said that the safety of the personnel is “essential” and therefore they must study how to access the area because “there are very narrow agricultural tracks and it is not easy to get there.”
