The Council of Tenerife will deploy from this Friday, August 12, and on Monday, the 15th, a special safety device on the occasion of the pilgrimage to Candelaria for the Festivities of the Patron Saint of the Canary Islandsfor which more than 400 people will participate, since more than 100,000 pilgrims are expected.
In the presentation of the device, the Councilor for Management of the Natural Environment and Safety of the Cabildo de Tenerife, Isabel García, pointed out that these festivities are a massive celebration of “a manifestation of faith but also a tradition repeated by people who like to walk and who take advantage of these summer dates to coincide with the great festival of the Virgin of Candlemas“.
Thus, he pointed out that the pilgrimage “is more than a simple journey, it involves and encompasses many aspects related to the traditions” of society, as well as beliefs, faith and also social activity, as reported by the Cabildo de Tenerife in a press release.
For this, he has indicated that the Cabildo de Tenerife participates in this “so important and outstanding” event with a special security device for which “it is reinforced and ensures the correct course of all these acts”.
This device, he said, is “perhaps the most complex” on the island, except for emergencies, since “hundreds of people, professionals and volunteers” participate.
REQUEST EXTREME PRECAUTIONS ON THE TRAILS
García has indicated that due to the fires that have recently occurred in the north of the island, in San Juan de la Rambla and Los Realejos, the possibility of walking along some paths is reduced, for which he has asked the public take these details into account and be aware that the prohibition of the use of the trails in the perimeter of that fire is due, “mainly, for a security issue, towards people and towards the environment itself”.
In the rest of the trails and passageways, he added, which cross protected natural areas, he has asked to take all kinds of precautions and appealed to the common sense of walkers to “leave as little trace as possible of their passage through them”.
For her part, the mayor of Candelaria, Mari Brito, thanked the collaboration of all the groups that are part of the device, both local and from the Cabildo or other municipalities, and encouraged the pilgrimage to take place mainly through the TF- 28, “known as the old highway.”
Brito has admitted that there is a “wide tradition of pilgrimage through the mountains”, however he has pointed out that “out of prudence and common sense, and due to the latest incidents in forest areas”, he wants to encourage the transit to be carried out by the road.
As for the people who will travel to the town by other means, he encouraged them to do so by public transport, since there will be a “wide spread” of transport routes by bus that can be used to get to Candelaria, even with the possibility to park for free at the Santa Cruz interchange.
Candelaria Urban Transport on Demand will provide free service from Plaza de Teror to the old bus station on Rambla de Los Menceyes on Sunday, August 14, from 6:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. and on Monday, August 15, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
BRIFOR AND FIREFIGHTERS OF TENERIFE PRESENT IN THE DEVICE
For his part, the insular director of Security, Rubén Fernández, has underlined the participation of the municipalities that generate the greatest number of pilgrims, such as La Laguna, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Güímar, Arafo, Tacoronte, La Orotava, El Rosario, El Sauzal, La Matanza, Los Realejos and La Victoria, which have implemented special local police and Civil Protection services.
He has also pointed out that both BRIFOR and the Tenerife Fire Department will be present in the plan, the foresters with between 65 and 73 people with different firefighting and transport vehicles, two watchtowers and a Coordination Center, PREVEX agents and a technician in charge of the entire operation, as well as the permanent availability of helicopters from the BRIFOR operation on preventive flights.
The Tenerife Fire Department, for its part, will mobilize a Heavy Urban Bomb (BUP) and a command vehicle (UMC) to attend to fireworks prevention and provide support in general.
The Red Cross, on the other hand, will carry out a socio-sanitary deployment to cover the points and areas of greatest risk, such as La Crucita, it will also be in coordination with the Canary Islands Health Service and will have means, as well as health personnel, Type B ambulances , Type B 4X4, vehicles, field health post and annex to the Candelaria health center.
On the other hand, the insular director of Roads, Tomás Félix García, has informed that the TF-28 will have a team of 32 people and in the TF-1 of 10, with vehicles and elements of traffic cuts. Specifically, traffic will be cut off on the Insular TF-28 road at PK 5+000 (Humilladero) up to the Caletillas PK 13+500 junction from 6:00 p.m. on August 14 and gradually, after the start of the court, on the TF-28 will begin with the control points of the TF-1 motorway.
This device is expected to conclude at 10:00 a.m. on August 15, as the athletic march passes, the cut will be opened. The insular director recalled that it is forbidden to walk on the highway.
Transportes Interurbanos de Tenerife (TITSA) will reinforce some of its services to facilitate the movement of pilgrims from Sunday, August 14, at 2:00 p.m., all the service in Candelaria will be carried out from Avenida de los Menceyes next to the old Station, until Monday, August 15 at 5:00 p.m. In this way, the stops from C/ Belgica to Plaza de Teror will be out of service.
There will also be a special service from 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 14, throughout the day and all night, with the last scheduled departure from Candelaria to Santa Cruz de Tenerife at 10:30 p.m. on Monday, August 15. For Sunday, August 14, line 120 (Santa Cruz-Güímar, Candelaria, Puertito de Güimar) will be reinforced starting at 6:00 p.m.
There will also be a special service on line 522, which will cover the La Laguna-Autopista-Candelaria route, starting at 6:00 p.m. on August 14 until Monday, August 15. The last departure from Candelaria to La Laguna will be at 8:30 p.m. with the same itinerary in both directions: La Laguna-North Highway TF-5- TF-2 Link Highway, South Highway TF-1-Candelaria.
As for people traveling from the south of the island, lines 111 and 711 are available, which connect Santa Cruz de Tenerife with Costa Adeje via the TF-1 motorway, both on the way out and on the way back.
Pilgrims who have used the bus to get to Candelaria will have free parking at the Santa Cruz de Tenerife and La Laguna interchanges from 6:00 p.m. on August 14 until 11:00 p.m. on August 15, accrediting a trip on the lines 120, 122 and 522. Users must go to the central box of the car park to certify the use of the mentioned lines.
For pilgrims who begin their journey on the Carretera General del Sur throughout Sunday, August 14 and with their usual schedules, there are several lines that can serve as a link between Santa Cruz-Cruce de La Cuesta; Santa Cruz-Taco Crossing; and Santa Cruz-University Hospital of the Canary Islands.
A special service will also be enabled at the usual rate between Izaña, La Crucita, Los Loros, Arafo and Candelaria, with line number 529.
