The fire in Tenerife burns 11,612 hectares and already affects eleven municipalities

According to the latest data, the Tenerife forest fire is already spreading through 11 municipalities, with almost 11,612 hectares burned and an area of ​​84 kilometers.

As reported by the head of Civil Protection of the Government of the Canary Islands, Montserrat Román, all the residents of the municipality of Candelaria have been able to return to their homes after five days evacuated by the flames. The residents of Arafo will also be able to access, except for those on Camino Juan Leal and Pinalete.

They wanted to highlight that last night was “quiet” in the Tenerife forest fire thanks to more favorable weather conditions than initially expected. During the early hours of this Sunday there was a total of 343 troops on the ground, of which 150 firefighters fought together with the Military Emergency Unit in the defense of material goods and homes in the evacuated areas.

The fire was intentional

For his part, the president of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, has confirmed this Sunday that the forest fire declared in Tenerife last Tuesday was intentional and has specified that the Civil Guard maintains three lines of investigation.

Clavijo at a press conference said that although from the beginning it was suspected that it was an arson attack, investigations by the Civil Guard have confirmed it.

The President of the Canary Islands has hoped that the author or authors of the fire, which began in the Arafo mountains with several outbreaks, will be arrested and has regretted all the damage they have produced in addition to endangering the lives of thousands of people. Regarding the complaint against three people who yesterday jumped the perimeter in the Las Lagunetas area, apparently to gain access to a house, Clavijo has indicated that they have been identified and has hoped that a double sanction will be imposed on them through criminal proceedings and the administrative way.

“Not only are they endangering their lives but also those of the people who have to rescue them,” stressed Clavijo, who indicated that despite this episode the behavior of the population “has been exemplary”

Evacuation of the Parador Nacional de Las Cañadas del Teide

In addition, the General Directorate of Emergencies of the Government of the Canary Islands has ordered this Sunday the evacuation of the Parador Nacional de Las Cañadas del Teide, located in the municipality of La Orotava.

The establishment is located in the heart of the Teide National Park, at more than 2,000 meters above sea level in front of the highest peak in Spain and which, with its exclusive species of fauna and flora, is an ideal place for nature lovers, hiking, volcanology and astronomy, as indicated by Paradores Nacionales on its website.

No great material losses to be regretted

The work last night of the firefighting teams against the forest fire that began on August 15 in Mount Arafo, on the island of Tenerife, has prevented the fire from burning homes. “And according to how the night was planned, it is almost a miracle,” said the president of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo.

Specifically, he pointed out that there was a fire in a tool room or several vehicles, but that although the fire came close to the houses, it was protected and “we are not talking about a house fire”, beyond some condition.

The authorities have clarified that the real number of people evacuated is estimated at 12,279, once the data has been provided by the municipalities and security forces, apart from the census, which reflects a higher figure.

For its part, this Sunday, a total of 20 aerial means will fight during the day against the flames of the forest fire in Tenerife, active since last August 15 and which is out of extinguishing capacity. This has been reported by the Government of the Canary Islands, which adds that, like every day, work from the air has resumed early in the morning.

Air quality remains unfavorable in 19 municipalities

On the other hand, the air quality due to the forest fire remains unfavorable in nineteen municipalities in both the south and north of the island.

The Government of the Canary Islands has issued a bulletin with the declaration of unfavorable air for a territorial area that includes, on the northern slope, the municipalities of Los Realejos, El Sauzal, La Matanza, La Victoria, Santa Úrsula, La Orotava, Puerto de la Cruz, Los Realejos, Buenavista del Norte, Los Silos, Garachico, Icod de los Vinos, La Guancha, San Juan de la Rambla.

To the south, the municipalities are Arafo, Candelaria, Güímar, Fasnia and Arico.

This situation is caused by the smoke from forest fires, which is made up of a mixture of gases and small particles that are emitted by the combustion of vegetation and other materials.

The Government of the Canary Islands advises avoiding permanence abroad and carrying out intense or prolonged physical activities.

It also recommends closing doors, windows and if you have air conditioning, put it in recirculation mode and with clean filters. Outside, the use of an FFP2 mask is recommended to avoid respiratory problems and protect the eyes as much as possible, and wash them if necessary.

For her part, the president of the Cabildo, Rosa Dávila, commented that last night there was the largest deployment in the history of firefighters in Tenerife, with 167 troops who were assigned to defend the homes.

In addition, he pointed out that the Aguamansa Canal is already being repaired, since a crew of firefighters, together with six operations, have accessed the area. “They are working to restore the canal, which is very important for the water supply in Tenerife,” he said.