For the past seventeen days, a military deployment has been active on the island of Tenerife to assist the Cabildo de Tenerife in preventing wildfires during the summer.
The ‘Centinela Canario’ operation, which began on 1 July, is permanently deploying military presence on the island of Tenerife — comprising ground patrols and two helicopters — to monitor the forests and prevent wildfires during the summer months. This military contribution will last until 30 September in collaboration with forestry units from the Cabildo de Tenerife, as well as the State Security Forces and Corps.
In this context of cooperation among various state institutions, the provision of personnel, equipment, and military vehicles — all sourced from units of the Canary Command — represents a significant contribution to environmental protection on the island of Tenerife. This operation is directed and coordinated by the Land Operational Command, led by Lieutenant General Julio Salom Herrera: “Undoubtedly, this is a very appealing mission for us, as it allows us to interact with the local people of Tenerife, in addition to conducting patrols that help us to get to know the terrain of the island to prevent wildfires through our presence, vigilance, and deterrence.”
During these first few weeks, patrols have already been carried out in numerous areas in the north and south of the island, including the municipalities of La Esperanza, Icod de los Vinos, and the Valley of Guímar; and so far, no incidents have been reported. After this initial period, Captain Morales — the current head of the patrols — acknowledges that the operation “started with a low-risk index, but it has been increasing over the days due to the high temperatures. Therefore, the patrols are taking extra precautions and paying special attention to ensure that the civilian population adheres to the regulations during this period, as well as having a significant deterrent effect against possible criminal acts that could lead to wildfires.”
Additionally, as a new feature in this second edition of the Centinela Canario operation, the contingent has been strengthened with a helicopter patrol from the VI Maneuver Helicopter Battalion (BHELMA VI) with night-flying capability, which “is on standby in case its deployment is necessary; this will be an important complement to the ground patrols, as well as improving fire detection capabilities and reducing response times,” states Colonel Alberto Cherino Muñoz, who is leading this military operation. Furthermore, he emphasises that “our only intention is to feel useful in such an important role as fire prevention, which is fundamental to caring for the environment. In this way, we also protect our citizens, and this is our greatest reward.”
Operation Centinela Canario
The operation by the Armed Forces to assist in monitoring and deterring forest fires is called ‘Centinela’, which has been conducted in Galicia since 2007, and in Tenerife, where it commenced in 2024. Currently, the “Centinela Canario Operation” is exclusively taking place on the island of Tenerife and involves the deployment of 10 daily ground patrols during both daytime and nighttime, accumulating a total of 920 during the months of July, August, and September. This operation will involve 32 military personnel and 14 vehicles each day.
The duties of the patrols are primarily to monitor and maintain a deterrent presence in the assigned areas, provide early information to firefighting services regarding any sightings of smoke or fires, and finally, to report to the State Security Forces and Corps any relevant information regarding incidents related to wildfires.
