The president maintains that it was intentional and blames Interior advisors for seeking “controversy” for their support for Feijóo’s investiture
SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, September 12 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The president of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, has defended this Tuesday as a “notable success” of Tenerife society and the extinction teams the management of the forest fire that has been considered controlled almost a month after its origin after burning more than 13,000 hectares in twelve municipalities.
In an appearance before the Plenary Session of Parliament on the fires this summer and the energy zero in La Gomera, he highlighted the “close, effective and loyal” collaboration with the State – especially the Minister of Tourism, Héctor Gómez – and denied , in the face of criticism from the socialists, that there has been a lack of coordination with the mayors of the affected municipalities.
He pointed out that the work of the extinguishing teams is “worthy of praise and praise” since the fire has left no human victims or razed homes despite the fact that the fire had “a lot of power” after nine days of heat and a lot of fuel on the ground. .
Clavijo has also highlighted the “exemplary behavior” of citizens in the face of the evictions – more than 13,000 people – and the confinement of the town of La Esperanza, and has supported, in the future, strengthening the figure of forest firefighters.
He has also said that in the coordination meetings “there were the people who had to be there” and he does not understand that “some are playing politics” when they complain that there was no communication between the mayors. “Maybe only those from the PSOE felt abandoned, everyone has my phone number, who couldn’t contact me?” He asked himself.
Along these lines, he has indicated that all mayors could attend the Advanced Command Post and the 112 meetings, but he understands that the “immense majority” did what he would have done if he were mayor, being “on the ground” and with the people to meet their needs.
Regarding the origin of the fire, he has once again maintained that it was intentional and has challenged Torres to “produce” a report from the Civil Guard to say otherwise since “nothing has been said that was not said in the Cecoes and has has been recorded”. “I have it in writing,” he said.
The president has highlighted the “magnificent work” carried out by the Civil Guard and during the fire and out of “institutional loyalty” he has preferred to be “prudent” and “not cross certain lines” despite the “doubts” that the socialists “leave in the air”.
However, he has accused “some advisors” of the Ministry of the Interior of saying something that “was not true” through ‘El País’ to generate “controversy” and just on the days in which CC commits its support to the investiture of Feijóo.
The president of the Socialist Group, Ángel Víctor Torres, has said that this forest fire confirms that climate change “is real” and he understands that if urgent measures are not taken the situation “will worsen.”
Torres has influenced the increase in the budget and personnel in the fight against fires of his previous Government and has regretted that the mayors were not summoned to the meetings to monitor the fire.
“They missed it, it was a mistake,” he pointed out, while at the same time it has disfigured the presence of people without competencies in technical meetings when the leading role should fall to the technicians.
THE PSOE DEMANDS MORE RIGUROSITY FROM CLAVIJO
Likewise, he questioned Clavijo if he had official documentation on the possible intentional responsibility for the fire, denied by the Civil Guard through ‘El País’. “You have to be rigorous,” he said.
Regarding the air base on the islands, he has claimed that the decision is not political but technical, given that in some areas seaplanes are good and in others helicopters, he has also asked to modify planning laws to help preserve the territory. and that the Government launches the climate action plan endowed with 168 million.
Luz Reverón, spokesperson for the Popular Group, has highlighted the “success” in the management of the fire, both in the technical and political parts, with all the political parties “up to the task” in one of the “worst environmental tragedies” of the island of Tenerife.
He has said that “the entire Canary Islands and all of Spain was Tenerife” those days and now, looking to the future, he has supported the creation of a permanent base of aerial means, deciding, from a technical point of view, which are the most appropriate.
He has not hidden that the “abandonment” of the field is a danger for forest fires, which is why he has appealed to “organize” the forest given that it is “abandoned” and with a lot of accumulated fuel that reaches “up to the knees.” “It is time for prevention,” she indicated.
THERE CRITICIZES THE “MUSEALIZATION” OF THE MOUNTAINS
Raúl Acosta (AHI) has said that in the Canary Islands there has been a “museumization” of the mountains and their use must be adapted to the needs of the population, which is why he has demanded a new fire extinguishing decree, municipal ordinances to maintain clean and tidy plots, promote agriculture and livestock in medians or establish a budget fund for firefighting.
Casimiro Curbelo, spokesperson for ASG, has said that the important thing is “not to fail again” so that energy zeros do not occur on the island and that is why he hopes that there will be political agreements and “high-mindedness” that link PSOE and PP.
He recalled that 39 years ago, when the deadly fire in La Gomera occurred, “there were not even protocols, the church bells were rung to go to the square”, and now there are “many” means to protect citizens, housing, infrastructure and biodiversity.
Vox spokesperson, Nicasio Galván, has asked to recentralize powers in forests and firefighting and increase penalties for arsonists, defend forests “away from climate fanaticism” and that the opinion of farmers, ranchers and health professionals be taken into account. emergencies. “We have to work from common sense,” he indicated.
Luis Campos, spokesperson for NC-BC, has said that it is a “significant advance” that no deaths have been recorded in the fire and the effects on properties in Tenerife have been minimal, which shows that the public sector is “powerful” and It should not be thinned.
CAMPOS: A “NEW GENERATION OF FIRES” IS COMING
He has warned that a “new generation of fires” is coming with a “brutal intensity” due to the impact of climate change and has highlighted the work of forestry agents, firefighters, volunteers or psychologists, and the planning of the previous regional Executive or the Cabildo de Gran Canaria.
Francisco Linares, from the Nationalist Group, has stated that he has experienced up to seven large fires in La Orotava – he is mayor – and in 1995 people were sent to help “with flip flops” because there were no means or resources.
He has indicated that the August fire is the worst in the last forty years and has affected twelve municipalities, and has indicated that as mayor he did not feel “helpless or alone”, but he does understand that there is a need to “improve a lot” with a device permanent air means because the level of response has to be “urgent.” “We were just one step away from the fire bypassing Tenerife,” he added.
He agreed with Curbelo that it is almost “a miracle” that there was no human or material damage to homes, something he attributed to the professionalism and bravery of the workers, who “risked their lives with the flames above their heads.” “.
Linares has also appealed to “change the educational and generational chip” on the mountains because a cultivated field does not burn and an abandoned field is a “hand grenade”, and has also requested to better address the mental health problems suffered by those affected.
