The president of the Tenerife Island Council, Rosa Dávila, has emphasised the necessity for increased collaboration and participation from citizens in identifying the individuals responsible for setting fires on the island. She underlined the importance of “remaining vigilant against the criminals who endanger our lives, damage our heritage, and target our mountains.”
“We will intensify efforts against them by mobilising all available forces and resources to continue closing in on them and ensuring they face justice. There will be no escape for them,” Dávila stated, while urging the public to provide any information that could help identify the perpetrators.
To enhance prevention and response strategies for forest fires, two meetings will be held between Monday 22 and Tuesday 23 to coordinate the actions of emergency personnel effectively.
“We are dealing with fire outbreaks in various areas of Tenerife, many of which are near human settlements, causing heightened concern,” mentioned the island’s president.
As part of these efforts, the island’s president and the lieutenant general and head of the Canary Islands Command, Julio Salom, will visit the Montaña Bermeja area in the Corona Forestal Natural Park for a coordination meeting with the heads of Brifor, the Tenerife Firefighters Consortium, the Civil Guard, and the Army.
On Tuesday 23, the Cabildo President has organised a ‘Summit in defence of the mountains and against arsonists’ at the Noble Hall of the Cabildo. The summit will involve Forest Brigades (Brifor), the Tenerife Firefighters Consortium, the Army (UME), the Civil Guard (Seprona), the National Police, the Government of the Canary Islands (Emergencies and Security), the Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Autonomous Community, and the Environmental Prosecutor in Tenerife.
The Tenerife Island Council expressed gratitude towards “all administrations and personnel working diligently to safeguard human lives and our natural areas.”
Furthermore, they commended the Civil Guard for arresting a resident of San Miguel de Abona, who stands accused of three forest arson offences. This individual is suspected of starting a forest fire and two attempted forest fires in the early hours of 15 August 2023 between the towns of Vilaflor and San Miguel de Abona.
