«Prevention, prevention and prevention. Our extinguishing ability is over. I tell you and the population of the Island, before this summer campaign». The phrase of Isidro Arteaga, environmental agent, veteran of a few fires and intermediate command of the Forestry Brigade of the Cabildo de Tenerife (Brifor), her new president fits her very well, Rosa Davila. The policy nationalist wanted to be “only 72 hours after” its proclamation with these men hardened in a thousand battles against fire in the island mountains, just before the announcement of a heat wave for next week -would enter on Wednesday-.
Rosa Dávila visited one of her daily training places and accepted the challenge. She even announced that she will propose to her colleague in Highways, Dámaso Arteaga, the cleaning of the TF-24, that of La Esperanza, full of needles, thrown by the wind, right in the center of the road. And so until reaching the area of El Gaitero – on the border between El Rosario and La Victoria de Acentejo – to witness, she and the others, how prepared these experts are in fighting fires. They are the elite, although they do not like that word, in the first line of defense of a unique and fragile wealth: the island’s biodiversity.
Between motorcyclists (many) and those urbanites who deserted the plow –as they were called in the 80s of the last century–, from 8 am to 3 am, who fill the streets of Tenerife every Friday in search of the lost guachinche, the procession goes up until it reaches the esplanade in which the members of the Brifor wait. Their camp in the mountains, the place where they practice every day to be prepared in case what no one wants to happen: a forest fire.
Cool because of the breeze, which is appreciated after the immense heat of the coast and part of the chicharreras midlands. The island workers line up in a disciplined manner before Dávila and his fellow excursionists, the brand new Councilor for the Natural Environment of the Cabildo de Tenerife, Blanca Pérez, and the recently appointed insular director of Security and Emergencies, Iván Martín Rodríguez. Ready to listen and eager to know what their new and maximum boss thinks.
“Ready”
Rosa Dávila assesses: “The Cabildo staff is prepared and has experience, but next week a heat wave is expected and it is important that the entire population is aware of that.” That is why she, she adds, “let us call for responsibility and collaboration with all the indications we can give.” The insular president stresses that “probably, the Cabildo de Tenerife has the most important operation of all Canary Islands and what we want is to inoculate the public about the importance of prevention”. In this sense, Dávila, Pérez and Martín highlighted the work carried out by the Brifor operation “throughout the year, especially from June to October, with preventive work, forestry work, on forest tracks and firebreaks.” These are tasks that are carried out in the months before and after the fire campaign itself, and that are essential to prevent the spread of fire.
For his part, the technical command of the Brifor operation, Bernabé Gutiérrez, explains that “we visited a training area, specifically for the helicopter, where combined attacks between its personnel and ground personnel are trained.” Likewise, he points out that “the Brifor operation works all year round and prevention is very important, especially in winter. Now it is key to involve the citizen to prevent fires.
Two passes of the helicopter later, including the throwing of water, and the demonstration of what the brigade does in case of fire with their shovels and hoes, the procession leaves the esplanade.
the operative
The Cabildo de Tenerife has a Brifor operation to fight fires throughout the year, which is increased in the summer campaign. Thus, there are eight technicians, twelve agents and 128 own combatants, in addition to the staff at the Insular Operational Coordination Center (Cecopin), made up of twelve managers. The fire campaign began on June 12 and will end on October 15. During this period, the operation has increased to 327 people, 96 of whom joined in April, and includes the 42 troops from the Parque Nacional del Teide. During the campaign, the quadrants of both own personnel and reinforcements are intensified, with shifts from Monday to Sunday, morning, afternoon and night. In addition, ten communications operators located in the fire watch towers are added. During the campaign, the reinforcement personnel return to preventive treatments and to their availability to mobilize them in the event of a large forest fire. Likewise, as of December 10, the work of the reinforcement operation ends and the Cabildo continues to develop its work with its own personnel. The troops will rely this year on a land operation made up of three 9,000-litre capacity mother-of-war pumpers; 14 foresters with between 3,500 and 5,000: two medium 1,800 liters and 30 light 500 liters. To this must be added an Advanced Command Post (PMA) vehicle and 29 all-terrain transport vehicles. The aerial operation incorporates two helicopters based at the Tenerife Sur airport and three drones with a thermographic and visual camera to take images and videos. In this sense, it should be noted that the process has begun for the contracting of a helicopter service that is available throughout the year from the year 2024.
Annual plan
The annual plan for prevention, surveillance and extinction establishes the actions to be carried out in the event of a forest fire, both at a preventive and operational level, and includes a detailed analysis of the physical reality of the Island – thermal and wind regime, rainfall, vegetation and areas protected–, as well as the danger of forest fires, vulnerability and high risk areas of fire. Preventive work is carried out throughout the year, particularly forestry treatments, work in the firebreak areas, access roads and water points. In the same way, the uses and prohibitions are regulated and the different actions are planned.
Human value
The necessary technical data cannot overshadow the high value of the human factor, that of this group of fire fighters who have had outstanding participation on other islands and who are the pride of Tenerife and the people of Tenerife.
The Cabildo calls on the population to be cautious and not commit imprudence. Neither in the mountains and even less in the face of the heat wave that is expected next week. The president of the Island Corporation, Rosa Dávila, highlighted in this case the work of Operation Brifor and pointed out the importance of having citizen collaboration to prevent fires. Pure and hard public service, as necessary as sometimes forgotten.
But the day is not over yet. Very close to the Brifor training camp is the watchtower of the El Gaitero area and the next stage is there. Ascent to the post where Merci, who is completing this task for five years, enjoys a “magical” landscape with the forest crown in the foreground and the imposing Teide in the background. These infrastructures that populated the Island today have one more sense of guarantee of communications. They are valid for sectoring the territory to be monitored and defended, as well as for establishing a single connection channel.
Merci explains her professional life. She is passionate about it. From seven to seven in shifts of three days in the morning, three in the afternoon and three off. She and her companions watch over this sector of the Island up to Güímar. Tito, the technical manager, can be happy when he gives the report to the superior: “Practice went very well and the boys behaved.” That’s right, nothing to add.
Rosa Dávila climbed the tower – 15 meters –, chatted with Merci, went down, got into the Environment car and left for, it seems, Arico. Another half return to the Island that was already habitual during the campaign for the elections of the 28M. Either slow down her activity a bit or this woman will kill more than one in the next four years.
