The fire is stabilized, after burning 14,751 hectares of forest in a perimeter of 90 kilometers, according to data offered last night by the canarian president, Fernando Clavijo, in the last balance of the day. This achievement of the different firefighting teams has allowed 8,355 people who had been evacuated in nuclei of the municipalities of El Rosario, La Victoria, La Matanza, Los Realejos, El Sauzal and Santa Úrsula to return to their homes yesterday. If Monday’s relocations are added to this figure, the total number of residents from the North and South who are already in their homes is 9,895. There are still 3,109 people in the exceptionally equipped shelters or in the homes of family and friends in the upper parts of towns such as El Sauzal or Santa Úrsula, a decision taken as a precaution since they are specific points where the flames are not fully controlled.
In any case, both the authorities and the technicians stressed that the fire “is still active.” The risk now lies in the possible reactivations, which can drive the sweltering heat that Tenerife will continue to suffer in the coming days. «We ask for responsibility and prudence from all Tenerife men and women who have been able to return to their homes. We continue in an emergency and the instructions of the operating personnel must be followed at all times,” remarked Fernando Clavijo.
Both the Canarian president and the president of the Cabildo de Tenerife, Rosa DavilaThey advised those who have returned to their homes to clean the surroundings of the houses and remain cautious. Dávila explained that they will be protected by a large team of professionals who will remain on alert today to act immediately in all areas where the fire can reignite.
“Now we can say that we are stronger than fire”, says Federico Grillo from Tenerife
The flames, which Federico Grillo compared to “a tsunami of fire”, have left unprecedented devastation in the Islands. It is the worst forest fire this year in Spain and one of the worst in the history of the Archipelago. In addition, they have devastated 7.3% of the surface of Tenerife and 32% of the Forest Crown, the largest protected area in Canary Islands, full of habitats of great natural value and endemic species. According to Grillo, the main factor that makes this disaster unique is that it has had four phases caused by changes in the wind, when a normal fire only has two at most. “In each change, the fire always took the lead and left us with no options to attack it.” But finally last night he was able to talk about “calm” in a claim that is entering the “stabilization phase.”
Rosa Dávila’s rehousing proposal
The relocation yesterday of 8,355 people came after the request of Rosa Dávila, who yesterday afternoon asked the direction of the Extinction Plan of the Government of the Canary Islands the return home of many of the evicted residents. The island president did so after a meeting with the mayors of 11 of the 12 affected municipalities, all except Fasnia. The Government of the Canary Islands accepted the proposal after making sure that the conditions were met, with which the municipalities informed the affected people of the conditions to return to their homes. “The situation has improved, but the fire is still alive,” explained the island president, who also wanted to send a message of tranquility to these people and that they follow the instructions of the official authorities so as not to collapse the media and troops working in the land.
Air quality, “very unfavorable” in 17 municipalities
The air quality as a consequence of the forest fire that has affected Tenerife since last Tuesday continues to be “very unfavorable” in 17 municipalities on the island, and especially in Los Realejos, La Orotava and Arafo. Specifically, the air quality is very unfavorable in the north of the island, in addition to Los Realejos and La Orotava, in El Sauzal, La Matanza de Acentejo, La Victoria de Acentejo, Santa Úrsula, Puerto de la Cruz, Buenavista del Norte , Los Silos, Garachico, Icod de los Vinos, La Guancha and San Juan de la Rambla. In the south, apart from Arafo, the quality is very unfavorable in Candelaria and Güímar.
A “fully safe” tourist destination
The Cabildo de Tenerife assures that the Island is a “fully safe” tourist destination despite the fire. In the main cities and in the tourist areas of Tenerife “normality continues”, so that tourists can continue carrying out their daily activities “without incidents”. The Island Government wanted to send a reassuring message to those who plan to visit the Island in the near future.
The activity in ports and airports is also carried out without any type of problem, and there are no delays or cancellations due to the fire, in the same way that the movements on the island’s highways are carried out normally. Yes, the accesses to the mountain continue to be closed, specifically, the roads that lead to the Parque Nacional del Teide, also damaged by the flames, to the North and South. It is also requested that the population not approach the perimeter of the fire to facilitate the work of the extinction teams.
The fire is the worst this year in Spain and affects a third of the forest mass of Tenerife
The Island Government highlights and appreciates the “exemplary behavior” of both the public and the more than 130,000 tourists on average who are spending the night in Tenerife these days. A telephone from the Network of Tourist Information Offices has been set up to answer requests for information from visitors in Spanish and English. It is 922 255433.
Visit of the Vice President of the Central Government
After the visit in the last days of the acting president of the state government, Pedro Sanchez, and the Ministers of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, and Tourism, Héctor Gómez, today the Vice President and Minister of Ecological Transition, Teresa Ribera, will come to Tenerife. In the afternoon, Ribera will be at the command post of the operation in Arafo and at the emergency coordination center in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, following the extinction tasks.
Meanwhile, reactions continue to arrive from the Peninsula to the fire that devastates the Forest Crown. The acting Defense Minister, Margarita Robles, stressed yesterday during a visit in Pontevedra to the General Morillo Base, headquarters of the Galicia VII logistics brigade, the importance of “making the population aware of the risks of fires” and asked the society that “above all be very careful with burning stubble”, using the devastating fire in Tenerife as an example, in which “everything indicates that it was provoked”.
On the other hand, the president of the Junta de Andalucía sent encouragement to the people of Tenerife. Juanma Moreno expressed “Andalusia’s solidarity with the Canary Islands”, just as she expressed her “desire” that “there will be good news soon”.
