SANTA ÚRSULA (TENERIFE), 5 (EUROPA PRESS)
The reactivation of the forest fire in the north of Tenerife remains at emergency level 2, with just over 40 hectares affected and continues with some 3,200 people evacuated, mainly from the neighborhood of La Corujera, in Santa Úrsula, and Pino Alto, in La Orotava, and although there are no personal injuries, a house has burned.
This has been explained to the media by the Emergency Counselor of the Government of the Canary Islands, Manuel Miranda, and the president of the Cabildo of Tenerife, Rosa Dávila, who have warned that the night is “tense and complicated” because the temperatures continue high and winds are expected from the side, towards the coast, with gusts of up to 40 kilometers per hour.
Miranda has pointed out that the weather conditions “are harsh” and the extinguishing device is “expectant and on guard” against what may happen at night. “We ask the population for a lot of calm, this is by no means controlled, there are reactivations,” she indicated.
The counselor thanked the good behavior of the affected people, highlighted the “excellent collaboration” of public institutions and security forces and the monitoring that the president, Fernando Clavijo, is doing from Madrid, placing special emphasis on the work of the UME, which has acted “in an exemplary manner, very quickly.”
Dávila has pointed out that level 2 is maintained and all air and ground means activated, with nine helicopters and a device of 94 troops, which will rise to 120 this Friday, with support from the UME and the firefighters to control the urban interface lands. .
The president has asked the population to “maintain caution and maximum prudence” because although the reproductions are “normal”, with the heat wave that the island is suffering, the flames can reach “great magnitude.” “The same thing could happen to us as last night,” she added.
HOT SPOTS ARE ON THE RISE
The Cabildo’s fire extinguishing director, Pedro Martínez, has pointed out that the hot spots “are increasing” in the perimeter “and if they touch fuel they can burn”, so they are “concerned” next night given that there will be wind that can generate paving. in dirty interface areas.
The aerial means are concentrating mainly in the Mamio area, in La Orotava, and the ground means in Santa Úrsula plus some outbreaks in Ravelo (El Sauzal), but the Las Charquitas area, where the fire started, is inaccessible. , with fallen trees and tracks that are not safe for workers.
“The night can be very good, with specific concerns or there may be a significant spread and we must be prepared,” he explained.
The Minister of Social Welfare of the Government of the Canary Islands, Candelaria Delgado, has pointed out that the Quiquirá shelter in La Orotava, which housed around thirty elderly people, has already been closed and it has been decided to relocate them to other resources, and only The one in the Santa Úrsula pavilion remains open.
He has also indicated that they are already working with the family of Santa Úrsula who has lost their home to find an alternative accommodation and that the closure of the La Corujera social and health center is maintained.
