The Cabildo de Tenerife and the Candelaria Town Hall are coordinating a security device comprised of 600 people from this Thursday to ensure the proper conduct of the Pilgrimage to Candelaria, with the days of highest attendance expected to be this Thursday and Friday. It is anticipated that around 100,000 people will travel to the municipality of Candelaria.
The island president, Rosa Dávila, reminded in a press release that the trails remain closed due to the risk of forest fire, stating that the pilgrimage on foot “can only be carried out on the old road, on the TF-28, which will be closed today from 18:00 to ensure everything runs with calm, and also via the Old Path of Candelaria.”
“Although temperatures have dropped slightly, we are keeping the trails closed as the risk of forest fire remains very high due to the extreme heatwave we’ve experienced in recent days,” Dávila emphasised.
The Cabildo’s device comprises 400 people from the Natural Environment, Sustainability, Security and Emergencies department, which coordinates the operation with various related services, including the technical security and civil protection service, staff from the Forest Fire Prevention operation (Brifor), environmental agents, the Firefighters of Tenerife, and the departments of Mobility and Roads.
To these 400 personnel, 200 more from other administrations and agencies will be added.
The device deployed by the Cabildo will be coordinated with that of various participating administrations, which include: Candelaria Town Hall, local police from Candelaria, Santa Cruz, El Rosario and Tacoronte, and units from the Civil Guard, National Police and the Regional Police. The security device is complemented by the General Directorates of Security and Emergencies of the Government of the Canary Islands, the Canary Urgent Services and CECOES 112, Red Cross and volunteers from civil protection groups and associations.
Meanwhile, a field hospital has been set up next to the health centre to address any incidents.
Routes for the pilgrimage
The Cabildo de Tenerife will allow the pilgrimage to Candelaria via the Old Path and the TF-28 from Thursday 14 August, the eve of the Festivity of Our Lady of Candelaria, Patroness of Canary Islands. However, due to the risk of forest fires, access to the mountains – especially the Forest Crown – and the TF-1 motorway is prohibited for safety reasons.
Tenerife Interurban Transport (Titsa) will strengthen some of its services to facilitate travel for pilgrims on the occasion of the Candelaria festival on 14 and 15 August. All services in Candelaria will operate from Avenida de los Menceyes next to the old station, from Thursday 14 August at 14:00 until Friday 15 August at 17:00. Stops from C/ Bélgica to Plaza de Teror will be out of service.
According to the planned device, route 122, in addition to its normal itinerary between Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Las Caletillas and Candelaria, will see regular service enhanced according to passenger demand between 18:30 on 14 August and 23:00 on 15 August to facilitate mobility within the municipality. Likewise, route 120 (Santa Cruz-Güímar, Candelaria, Puertito de Güímar) will have more departures starting from 17:25.
Additionally, Titsa will provide a special service on route 522, which will run from La Laguna-Motorway-Candelaria, between 18:30 on Thursday and 21:30 on Friday.
The last departure from Candelaria to La Laguna will be at 23:30, following the same itinerary in both directions: La Laguna-North Motorway TF-5-TF-2 Link Road, South Motorway TF-1-Candelaria.
Links from other points
Pilgrims wishing to start their journey on the General Southern Road will have, throughout Thursday 14 August, with their usual schedules, several lines that can serve as links at the following points: Santa Cruz-Cruce de La Cuesta: lines 014 and 228; Santa Cruz-Cruce de Taco: lines 232, 233, 934, 936, 937 and 238; and Santa Cruz-Canary Islands University Hospital: lines 015, 102, 103 and 108.
Those traveling from the South of the island have the lines 111 and 711, which connect Santa Cruz de Tenerife with Costa Adeje via the TF-1 motorway, both going and returning.
