Those who skip the prohibition to go to the mountains affected by the fire in the Forest Crown of Tenerife they will be fined. He made it clear this Monday Rosa Davilapresident of Tenerife Council, during the first of the evaluation visits to the areas damaged by the fire. Dávila stressed this after last weekend people were found who ignored this veto and entered the pine forests “to browse, putting at risk not only their own safety, but also that of the people carrying out extinction work.” .
«Any action in this sense by curious people who approach the mountain will be sanctioned by the Civil Guard“, emphasized the island president, who recalled that “there is a perimeter in which work continues and those who do not respect the seals are putting their lives and those of the members of the operation at risk.” The Corporation has reinforced security to prevent a repetition of events such as those that occurred last Saturday and Sunday.
On foot, by bicycle and on horseback. The Tenerife Cabildo reported that last weekend people were found going to the burned mountains, something that is prohibited, on foot, by bicycle or on horseback. Remember that there are still hot spots or risk of reactivation of a fire that has not yet been officially controlled or extinguished.
The closure of access to Teide through La Esperanza and La Orotava will last “several weeks.” While the Cabildo increases security at the accesses to the Forest Crown, its workers have begun work to rehabilitate the roads affected by the flames. The insular Minister of Highways, Dámaso Arteaga, explained yesterday that the La Esperanza (TF-24) and La Orotava (TF-21) roads that lead to the Teide National Park, as well as the one known as Subida de Los Loros (TF-21), 523) and the TF-514 of Izaña (within the National Park), will continue to be closed to traffic for “several weeks” due to the deterioration of the protective barriers and signage. Work has already begun at the points where safety is guaranteed, from kilometer point 15 to 42 of the TF-21, to kilometer point 43 of the TF-24, as well as on the TF-523 and TF-514. «We still have the active fire, since it has not been considered controlled, and therefore there are areas in which reactivations occur. First you have to put out the fire and clean the area because there are pine trees, branches and stones that can fall onto the road, which poses a risk to traffic and especially to cyclists and motorcyclists,” Arteaga clarifies.
Roads affected. The fire affected the security fences and signage of 17 kilometers of highway. These affected roads are two-way, with average traffic intensities in the case of TF-24 and TF-21 of 5,000 vehicles per day each. “It is necessary to act in stages to guarantee security,” the counselor points out. In this way, the replacement work will be carried out in two phases: the first, which has already begun, consists of cleaning and eliminating damaged barriers, repainting roads and replacing signage; and the second will address the placement of new barriers. “This last intervention will take more time since it is necessary to bring the material from outside the Island,” Arteaga explained.
1.6 million euros only for the first phase. Only the first phase of these works to reopen the TF-21, TF-24, TF-523 and TF-514 will require an investment of 1.6 million euros. The Minister of Highways adds that in the coming weeks, together with the General Directorate of Traffic and the Civil Guard, the possibility of opening sections of the aforementioned roads will be studied progressively, “always depending on the work and extinguishing tasks.” definitive.” Dámaso Artega remembers that recently the cutoff was changed on the TF-21, which was located at the Cable Car, and it was moved to Portillo Alto “in order to make it easier for people who climb Teide from the South to reach the restaurants that are in that area. It must be remembered that access to the Teide National Park can be done via the TF-21 (Vilaflor) and the TF-38 (Chío, Guía de Isora).
Review of the affected hectares. Grafcan, public company of the Autonomous Community of Canary Islands dependent on the Department of Ecological Transition, has just published a map with detailed data of the area affected by the fire in the Forest Crown of Tenerife, which includes the delimitations of the affected municipalities. This perimeter has been delimited by the Crime Prevention and Analysis Team. Fires Forestry (EPAIF) and is still provisional, since work is being done to determine the impact of the fire within this area more precisely. According to this map, the affected area would go from 14,700 hectares to 13,977, and the perimeter from 90 kilometers to 103.
The affected municipalities. In total, the municipalities affected by the flames are 13, according to the Grafcan map. The one with the most damaged hectares, by far, is La Orotava, with 4,873. Candelaria, with 1,807 hectares, follows from most to least burned area; Arafo, with 1,715; La Victoria, with 1,055; Los Realejos, with 1,041; Güímar, with 967; Santa Úrsula, with 937; El Rosario, with 601; La Matanza, with 405; El Sauzal, with 330; Tacoronte, with 149; Fasnia, with 94; and San Juan de la Rambla, with 0.6.
Visits from those responsible for the Cabildo. Yesterday, the Cabildo of Tenerife began visits to the municipalities affected by the fire to learn first-hand about the situation of each municipality. The president of the Cabildo, Rosa Dávila, and the vice president, Lope Afonso, started in Santa Úrsula, where they were together with the mayor of this northern municipality, Juan Acosta.
The island Corporation has deployed an operation of 70 people to extinguish and monitor the fire, to which another 15 people must be added who are carrying out restoration work for the protection of the soil and coordination and logistics personnel. As for air means, the island Corporation has deactivated the two State helicopters and has two of its own helicopters, whose base is located at the Tenerife South airport.
Restrictions. The Cabildo recalls that the emergency plans remain activated and that it has issued grade 3 measures in the municipalities of Güímar, Arafo, Fasnia, Candelaria, El Rosario, Tacoronte, El Sauzal, La Matanza de Acentejo, La Victoria de Acentejo, Santa Úrsula , La Orotava and Los Realejos. The grade 3 measures contemplate the prohibition of lighting fires in recreational areas and traveling on forest tracks and trails. Staying in the mountains and making fires outdoors (bonfires, stoves, barbecues, gas stoves) are also prohibited; pyrotechnic displays and the use of machinery and tools that cause sparks. In addition, motor vehicles cannot be used on forest trails for recreational purposes. Hunting is prohibited in these municipalities, except in Güímar and Fasnia.
