The island of Tenerife will be on orange alert today due to high temperatures, a factor that can harm the extinction of the fire forest that was declared last Thursday in the north of the island and that affects five municipalities: Los Realejos, San Juan de la Rambla, La Guancha, Icod de los Vinos and La Orotava. Yesterday it was contained and failed to exceed the perimeter established by the firefighting teams, so its decline is consolidating and the area affected remains around 2,800 hectares, with a perimeter of 27 kilometers.
Yesterday was a positive day, in the sense that this setback of the fire is consolidating and is expected to continue in the coming days. However, today “is going to be a particularly difficult day”, because the weather is going to be worse than yesterday, with higher temperatures throughout the island, and also in the area of the fire. There is going to be a drop in relative humidity, although relatively weak winds are expected, between 10 and 20 km/h, with slightly higher occasional gusts. “Today (yesterday) the work will focus on consolidating and cooling the hot spots and it will be tomorrow afternoon and, above all, Thursday, when the weather changes and temperatures drop,” according to the experts.
Only in the area of La Fortaleza, on the edge of the Teide National Park, has fire been seen, while on the other three fronts it remains in a stabilization phase, which allowed the vast majority of residents to return to their homes yesterday. the evacuees, minus the residents in the area closest to the slope of Tigaiga.
The limits of the areas to be evacuated have been reduced and a small triangle has been left at the foot of the slope, where most of the buildings are temporary and holiday accommodation. So much so that practically all of the people who had been evacuated – some 585 – have been able to return to their homes. Today, it will be assessed if the evacuation is lifted in said triangle at the foot of the Tigaiga slope.
Julio Pérez, Minister of Security of the Government, pointed out that the prohibitions of access to the forest areas of Tenerife and the closure of several roads, such as Icod el Alto or the TF-21, which connects La Orotava with Boca Tauce, are maintained.
Montserrat Román, head of the Civil Protection and Emergency Attention Service of the Government of the Canary Islands, reiterated that today almost the same aerial means will be maintained, a seaplane that was damaged for several hours yesterday is recovered, while a helicopter is removed that “we need it available for emergency and rescue operations”, as he pointed out, given the risk of waves also decreed for today in the Islands.
Last night, 105 ground personnel worked on the extinction and by day there will be ten aerial means and 150 brigade members on the ground, a number already similar to the first days of the extinction work. Likewise, he highlighted that the burned surface “is practically the same, because the control lines are working, but the hot ground is kept and the points can be reactivated” in a moment.
The technician referred to the weather conditions, with the extension of the alert for maximum temperatures, which in principle only covered Gran Canaria, Tenerife, El Hierro and La Gomera, and commented that yesterday 43 degrees were recorded in Agüimes, 45 in Tasarte and 40 in Las Mercedes.
Complicated day
Today will be a difficult day, with a relative humidity of less than 30% from 450 meters above sea level, warm temperatures at night and maximum daytime temperatures of 28º and 34ºC in the area of the forest fire. In addition, a weak northeast wind will blow with strong gusts of 30 to 40 km/hour that could push the fire towards the National Park, where it is much more contained, and where that slight advance occurred yesterday due to a light favorable wind. At height the wind is expected to blow in a southeasterly direction.
For his part, Pedro Martínez, technical chief of the extinction, stated that “it has been one of the calmest days” of the device compared to previous days. “It was commented that the fire was stabilized, the works have had as main function the active surveillance by the means of extinction”, in order to “consolidate the containment lines and cool the hot spots”. The aerial means were dedicated to cooling the hot spots on the slope of Tigaiga and being “attentive to possible reproductions” in the upper area.
Martínez reiterated that the fire “is active and there may be races due to a fuel change or a gust of wind.”
Possible performances
Questioned about what they expect today, the firefighting technical chief indicated that, “with the rise in temperature, two situations can occur: that the aerial means continue cooling the hot spots that are found and, if a punctual run, cool it down. And, on the other hand, the ground media will be on active surveillance. Likewise, due to the heat, some hot spots can be activated, especially in the active zone of the National Park or on the slope of Tigaiga, below the control zones or even beyond them.” Therefore, the extinguishing media will remain on standby “in the face of a more unfavorable situation” and “prepared for the two possible situations” in the face of an increase in temperature. “Prospects continue to be good if these contingencies continue,” said a technical chief who assured that “no new attacks are expected. The media will be waiting for the evolution” of the fire in the heat.
Finally, the president of the Cabildo de Tenerife, Pedro Martín, appreciated that many of the evacuees have been able to return to their homes. “The slope of Tigaiga has offered us a more encouraging vision, I hope that the restrictions can be fully lifted if the forecasts are confirmed,” he reiterated.
Likewise, he insisted on asking for “very care” because Tenerife will be on “orange alert for maximum temperatures.” He recalled that all activities in forest areas are still prohibited.
