SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, July 28. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The president of the Cabildo de Tenerife, Pedro Martín, and the island councilor for the Natural Environment, Isabel García, have reported on the evolution of the Los Realejos forest fire last night and the first hours of this Thursday, both pointing out that it is evolving “very well” although what is most worrying and what is being “most attentive” is the Tigaiga area.
Martín has indicated that the situation last night “has been frankly good, very favorable” to the evolution of the extinction, since the night has passed with “little wind”, which “helps a lot”, and that together with the drop in temperature and the work carried out by the teams, although it is not yet possible to speak of considering the fire controlled, he does hope that the work during the day will allow “a lot of progress to be able to consider it controlled”.
He added that the perimeter zone “still cannot” be considered controlled because “there are numerous hot spots.” To continue tackling them, there are currently some 35 ground brigade troops working and three helicopters that continue “cooling and attacking the part of concern,” which is the Tigaiga area, in Los Realejos.
As for the Teide National Park, he pointed out that it is currently “absolutely calm”, since what had to “unfortunately burn, has already burned” such as part of broom, Canarian pine and some cedars. In the area there are troops monitoring so that a new outbreak does not occur.
For her part, the island councilor for the Natural Environment, Isabel García, has pointed out that it has been possible to perimeter “better” the amount of surface that has been affected by the fire, amounting to 2,753 hectares and 34 kilometers of perimeter.
And in the specific case of the Teide National Park, 226 hectares have been affected, of which 213 are pine forest and 13 broom, in addition to another 0.3 hectares that affected the reserve area and “it is worrying because there are more fauna”.
OPENING OF ACCESSES TO THE MOUNTAIN AND CLOSURES THAT ARE MAINTAINED
Since 06:00 this Thursday, all accesses to the mountain have been opened, in addition to the TF-21 and TF-344 routes, so currently “there is no cut”, as specified by the president of the Cabildo de Tenerife, Pedro Martin.
However, he has clarified that the “only” limited areas and prohibited access are between San Juan de la Rambla and Los Realejos because the traffic of the TF-344 from La Guancha to the Pista Lolita is closed, where you can enter only for the basic maintenance of the farm and animals.
He added that the recreational areas and camping areas in El Lagar, Fuente de Pedro, La Chanajiga and La Tahona, the Emilio Fernández Muñoz camp and the nature classroom and Barranco de La Arena camp are temporarily closed.
“They are very limited to the area where the fire has occurred or are very close,” he concluded.