The General Directorate of Security and Emergencies of the Government of the Canary Islands has authorized the return to their homes from this Monday afternoon of about 500 residents of the municipalities of La Orotava and Los Realejos who were evacuated last weekend by the Tenerife fire.
“Because the area affected by the forest fire in Los Realejos (Tenerife) in the vicinity of the limit zone of the Tigaiga hillside has not advanced in recent hours, that the fire control lines that were established are effective and Due to the fact that the execution of technical maneuvers to control the fire that could generate risk situations is not foreseen, the evacuation is completed,” decrees Security and Emergencies. This decision is adopted based on the application of the Special Plan for Civil Protection and Emergency Response to Forest Fires of the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands (INFOCA) and by virtue of the powers established by the management of the aforementioned Plan, with the emergency in the Level 2.
Residents of Orégano Street (La Orotava) and La Arenitas and Cruz del Castaño (Los Realejos) will be able to return.
However, taking into account that there are some points that could still be reactivated, The preventive evacuation of the area closest to the slope of Tigaiga is maintainedwhich includes the area of the Camino del Madroño and that affects around thirty homes.
The evicted can return to their homes from three in the afternoon today following the instructions of the Security Forces and Bodies.
On the other hand, the owners of pets and/or livestock can return with them. It is recommended that it be done during the day.
People in the area that remains evacuated can carry out maintenance work on their animals accompanied by police patrols. They must approach the established control points to request it.
The mayor of Los Realejos, Adolfo González, has confirmed that the eviction is only postponed from the area closest to the Chanajiga front, some 30 homes, where between 60 and 70 people reside. The councilor has requested that the return be calm and that people who have sheltered animals “go through the Las Llanadas sports center first” to keep track of it and authorize their withdrawal from the farms and shelters where they are temporarily located.
The councilor trusts that the return will take place during the remainder of the afternoon and asks that they not wait until late at night in order to facilitate the return operation.
