SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, July 17 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The forest fire declared at dawn last Saturday in the municipality of Puntagorda, on the island of La Palma, is still active and the evolution of the fire continues within the control lines established by those responsible for extinction, with a quite favorable evolution in the north and south flanks, although it continues to require air and land resources that are continuously fighting the flames.
This was reported by the Minister of Territorial Policy, Territorial Cohesion and Water, head of Emergencies of the Government of the Canary Islands, Manuel Miranda, who has appeared at a press conference together with Montse Román, head of Civil Protection and Emergency Attention of the Canary Islands; the president of the Cabildo de La Palma, Sergio Rodríguez; among others.
The counselor has detailed that on the north front of the fire, in the El Reventón area, there are no active flames at the moment and the fire is stabilized.
On the southern flank, in the Jieque ravine, he indicated that technical work is being carried out by firefighting personnel and today 80% of the air resources and ground troops have concentrated here, with an influx of about 150 people who have been working on the site. Thus, the counselor wanted to inform the residents that this afternoon, due to the fire control maneuvers that are being carried out, a large amount of smoke is going to be produced in the ravine.
The most complex part of the fire, added Miranda, continues to be the front of the Caldera de Taburiente National Park, where the fire is advancing slowly. For this reason, he advanced that tomorrow, Wednesday, they will act “forcefully” on this flank with air and ground means, waiting for how the fire evolves throughout tonight.
Precisely, the counselor explained that the media that will operate during the night will be about 150 firefighting personnel and 40 members of the Canary Islands Police, Civil Guard and Local Police, up to a total of just over 190 troops.
On the other hand, he pointed out that the councils of the municipalities affected by the fire have already begun the work of evaluating the damage caused by the fire, especially in homes and services, in order to prepare the appropriate reports with which to request possible help.
SOME 3,500 HECTARES AFFECTED.
Montse Román, head of Civil Protection and Emergency Attention of the Canary Islands, explained that the fire remains in some 3,500 affected hectares and tomorrow the same number of air and land means will operate. In addition, the relocation area in Puntagorda and Tijarafe will be expanded. Specifically, the end of the evacuation of Puntagorda is authorized, except for the El Roque neighborhood, and Tijarafe, except for the upper part of the LP-1 from the El Jurado ravine to El Time.
He also reported that there are only 14 people housed in the Severo Rodríguez Sports Center in Los Llanos de Aridane and the rehousing of dependent people who were in residences has been completed with the help of the Red Cross and municipal services. Likewise, in the Los Llanos Pavilion there are about twenty domestic animals housed and some 35 head of cattle in the Los Canales enclosure in the municipality of El Paso.
Regarding the weather forecasts for the next few days, he explained that starting tomorrow there will be an increase in temperatures of up to 6ºC in midlands that will be especially noticeable from Wednesday, although the wind remains stable.
Finally, the president of the Cabildo de La Palma, Sergio Rodríguez, indicated that the trails on the island remain closed and the LP-1 remains open from 06:30 to 22:30 and the LP-4. In turn, he reiterated the call for the responsibility of neighbors and neighbors and that they continue to listen to the authorities.
