The magical night of the summer solstice arrives, the shortest of the year and that of purification inside and out with fire as a key element. There will be bonfires of San Juan in Tenerife as always, but with control, in the established places and the restrictions established by law. It is not something new because four years ago the Island Council established clear regulations with a wide interior perimeter of the Island, for the most part a protected natural space, where, as in the rural parks of Anaga and Teno, it is strictly prohibited make fire. From the midlands to the National Park of Teide crossing the Forest Crown. There is a coastal area around the Island where it is possible to light bonfires. On May 24, the acting Natural Environment Minister, Isabel García, issued a resolution to reinforce the regulations.
The Official Gazette of the Province (BOP) of December 27, 2019 already included a document that was intended to avoid the number of requests received -and rejected- to light bonfires in practically the entire Tenerife geography. The resolution of May “generally and permanently prohibits bonfires on the occasion of the festivities of San Juan and San Pedro” in the so-called Zone A, which affects the midlands of the municipalities of Tenerife. Zone B is for coastal spaces and you can mostly make bonfires.
Avoid risks.
The restrictive argument of the Cabildo de Tenerife is based on avoiding risks because in recent years there have been fires of important dimensions beyond the summer dates. The bonfires of San Juan and San Pedro, on the nights of June 23 and 28, cause “the greatest number of interventions by the emergency services, both firefighters and the BRIFOR operation.” They even “frequently cause punctual escapes to areas with the potential to become a forest fire.” At the proposal of the Technical Forest Management Service, the counselor resolves to “prohibit all recreational use of fire (San Juan and San Pedro bonfires) due to the danger they entail” in the aforementioned areas (Medianías, Corona Forestal, Anaga and Teno Rural Parks …). The bonfires can only be lit in coastal areas enabled for it.
Recreative areas.
The 22 recreational areas managed by the Cabildo are affected by the resolution, both in the North and in the South of the Island. Among them, it is worth mentioning Arenas Negras (Garachico), Chanajiga (Los Realejos), La Caldera (La Orotava), Las Calderetas (El Sauzal), Lomo La Jara (Tacoronte), Llano de los Viejos (La Laguna) or Las Raíces (El Rosario). Also in ten areas that lead directly to the town halls, it is forbidden to make fire. These are, among others, Mesa Mota (La Laguna) or Parque Las Mesas in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. On the other hand, in eleven municipally-managed natural spaces there is the possibility of making a fire with the restrictions established by law: Triana ravine and Toledo highway, in Buenavista del Norte; House of La Gomera (Los Silos); El Carmen (Garachico); Barranco de Ruiz (Los Realejos and San Juan de la Rambla); Santa Catalina (La Guancha); La Higuerita (Los Realejos), El Rincón and La Marzagana (La Orotava); La Libertad Park (Tacoronte) and Castaño (Güímar).
All over Tenerife.
There will be bonfires, jumping over them, the smell of wood and tradition on the night of June 23-24. But the guides for following those uncontrolled covens on beaches and coastal areas all over the Island are over. In 2005, in Las Teresitas, the Santa Cruz City Council even burned an entire tuna boat, weighing fourteen tons. They were different times. In any case, a very special night that is celebrated with great intensity in places on the Island such as the capital itself, Santa Cruz, Puerto de la Cruz, Punta del Hidalgo or Guía de Isora. In addition, this San Juan plays on Saturday and the preview is presumed ideal for novelists.
Santa Cruz.
The capital of Tenerife began yesterday the preventive security device before the bonfires of San Juan. The municipality has a regulation that specifies the locations, authorized conditions, materials to be used and recommendations for that day. The first tasks consist of locating, reviewing and geolocating the points where materials are accumulated or the bonfires are already being set up. With all this information, collected on public roads by Civil Protection, a map of the bonfires is prepared at the Cecopal Transmission Center with essential information on location, risks and whether they comply with the specific decree of June 2021. Also these days A risk assessment of some bonfires is carried out which, due to their size, location or materials used, can become a problem once they are set on fire. In addition, for years those who want to enjoy this day must make a prior communication through the municipal website. The bonfires may not be made on roads or spaces in the public domain, nor in parks, gardens, ravines and beaches. In addition, the Cabildo de Tenerife prohibits burning in general that day and draws limits to avoid the use of recreational fires in many of the capital’s ravines, especially those in the Anaga area.
The lagoon.
The City Council does not authorize the lighting of bonfires on the Night of San Juan. The security and emergency services will carry out a tour of the places in the municipality where it is traditionally customary to do them on Friday night and until Saturday morning. Groups are asked to sign a responsible statement. There is also a special tour of the upper areas of the municipality (Las Mercedes, Valle Tabares, Jardina, etc…) to ensure compliance with the regulations of the Cabildo de Tenerife, which prohibits fire in these areas. One of the main points of attraction that night is Punta de Hidalgo, where the traditional festival of San Juanito is celebrated.
Basic rules for bonfires
Access
as simple as possible
- The place where the bonfire is located will have to be easily accessible for security and emergency services. In addition to being located outside ravines, protected natural spaces, close to homes or dangerous areas, as well as facilities with a risk of fire or explosion, such as gas stations.
Location
Never with vegetation nearby
- They will be located in such a place that the incandescent projections that it generates, and that are transported by the wind, when they fall to the ground, do not fall on flammable vegetation. Smoke can cause accidents on public roads where vehicles circulate; therefore, they will not be close to these.
Distance
Minimum of 15 meters
- Bonfires must maintain a distance of at least 15 meters from any construction, road, power line, vehicle or facility. With a minimum separation of 100 meters between them.
Security
Cleaning… and a hose
- The area surrounding the fire should be cleaned in order to eliminate or minimize any possibility of fire spread. It must be located near a hose or any other means of extinguishing the fire (buckets or extinguishers).
Composition
Be careful with the material
- The pile of materials to be burned must not exceed a height of two meters or have a diameter greater than three. Neither be made up of flammable products or those that are susceptible to exploding such as aerosols, nor by elements of plastic composition or other waste whose combustion entails the emission of polluting gases (tires, electrical appliances,,,), as well as pyrotechnic devices or light materials that can be released with the wind like papers or fabrics.
The rosary.
The coastal town of Tabaiba Baja is preparing to live the traditional festivities in honor of San Juan Bautista during the next Friday and Saturday. With the traditional sardine and the popular floating bonfire.
Santiago del Teide.
The council has organized recreational activities next Friday, starting at 10:00 p.m., on the beach of Puerto de Santiago. At 11:00 p.m. there will be the traditional burning of the bonfire to give way -00:00- to a fireworks display.
Isora Guide.
Another classic place for a magical night on the Island. There will be a bonfire in Playa San Juan that celebrates its patron saint with all security measures.
Adeje.
People interested in making a bonfire must communicate it by submitting the form established for this purpose. In Zone A (from TF-1 upwards) the prohibition is absolute due to fire danger.
reinforcement of buses
Titsa will reinforce the routes of lines 910 and 970, which connect the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Interchange and the Las Teresitas beach. Likewise, the 138 will extend its operations and will have return trips to Santa Cruz from Radazul at 10:40 p.m., 11:40 p.m. and 1:00 a.m. The transport company will also reinforce the usual departures of lines 363 (Puerto de la Cruz-Buenavista del Norte via Icod de los Vinos) and 390 (Puerto de la Cruz-Las Arenas-La Vera-La Montaña-Los Realejos). All schedules can be consulted on the website www.titsa.com, on the Titsa hotline 922.53.13.00 and through the company’s social networks.
