He council of Tenerife has done an initial assessment of the damage caused by the forest fire that has hit the island since last August 15 – currently stabilized after burning almost 15,000 hectares in a perimeter of 90 kilometers across 12 municipalities – and has estimated them at 80.4 million euros.
This was stated this Thursday by the insular president, Rosa Davilawho remembered that The Council of Ministers will probably declare this Friday the island of Tenerife as a ‘catastrophic area’.
“The estimated damages, only in infrastructures of the Cabildo and the effects for the regeneration of the mountain, Parque Nacional del Teideare estimated at around 80.4 million euros“, he stated to remind that the primary sector is one of the most affected by the fire.
Dávila pointed out that the insular Corporation has worked “intensely” to have this first assessment of damages with the aim of making them available to the Government of Spain so that can proceed with the declaration of a ‘catastrophic area’.
Here, he made special emphasis that these 80.4 million are only in those aspects that have to do with roads, with hydraulic infrastructures, with the impact on agriculture “and everything that it means for the impact on the Teide National Park, the forest crown and natural spaces protected from our island”.
The president noted that the fire, “the largest in the last 40 years in Canary Islands“, undoubtedly has an impact on the lives of people who are dedicated to agriculture, livestock, who are affected by irrigation, so he waited for a response, “as President Sánchez anticipated,” from the Government of Spain.
Seaplane base in the Canary Islands
On the other hand, Dávila explained that this fire allows us to reflect, “and it is the need for the Canary Islands to have a permanent seaplane base“.
“After three years suffering fires terrible for the entire Canary Islands and after the fire that the island of Tenerife has suffered, I think it is no longer questioned that the Canary Islands need a permanent seaplane base“.
For the president, the justification that was given at the time in 2020 by the Government of Spain that other areas would be neglected, “It can no longer sustain itself after having experienced this terrible fire that has left Tenerife devastated. with not only unprecedented economic but environmental damage.
