SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 1 July (EUROPA PRESS) –
Today, Monday, the Tenerife Island Council and the Ministry of Defence have initiated Operation ‘Prometheus’, under which armed patrols will be stationed in the mountains of Tenerife around the clock from 1 July to 30 September.
Presenting the details of this initiative at the Hoya Fría barracks were President of the Cabildo, Rosa Dávila; Chief of Staff of the Canary Islands Command, Luis Cortés, and Brigadier General and head of the XVI Canary Islands Brigade, Ricardo Esteban. Also in attendance were Minister of Natural Environment, Sustainability and Security and Emergency, Blanca Pérez, as well as the insular directors of Natural Environment, Pedro Millán, and Security and Emergencies, Iván Martín.
Rosa Dávila conveyed her appreciation to the Ministry of Defence, all senior military officials present at the briefing, as well as the Army and all the troops of the XVI Canary Brigade participating in this unprecedented and historic initiative in the Canary Islands. “Their dedication and commitment are vital to ensuring vigilance and prevention of forest fires, particularly during the heightened risk of the summer months. This provides added support to the Brifor operation carried out by the Cabildo,” she remarked.
Chief of Staff of the Canary Islands Command, Luis Cortés, stated that the collaborative agreement with the Cabildo is now in effect and the armed patrols are “deployed to fulfil the requirements set out in the agreement, which is to enhance surveillance and monitoring in identified areas by Cabildo experts.”
Brigadier General and head of the XVI Canary Islands Brigade, Ricardo Esteban, highlighted the operation’s four main pillars: ground patrols tasked with surveillance and prevention around the clock, continuous presence in the rural regions of Tenerife, an active information dissemination policy in collaboration with the Cabildo’s Emergency Service and law enforcement authorities, and flexibility in duration that can be extended as necessary.
Operation ‘Prometheus’ is overseen by the 16th Canarias Brigade and comprises 32 soldiers and 14 vehicles, ensuring 24/7 coverage of the mountains of Tenerife from July to September with a total of 920 patrols in place. The Army’s role involves not only monitoring and acting as an active deterrent but also providing vital intelligence to firefighting services and promptly reporting any suspicious activities to law enforcement agencies.
Operation ‘Prometheus’ brings together over 600 professionals from Cabildo’s Brifor Operation – including the Tenerife Firefighters Consortium staff – to collaborate in monitoring and safeguarding Tenerife, particularly its mid-range zones that encompass 25% of the island’s territory. Equipped with cutting-edge technology like GPS devices, digital mapping, and Tetra communication systems, Operation “Prometheus” will be undergo close monitoring.
