The forest crown that surrounds the National Park of Teide It is the area of maximum risk of forest fire in Tenerifeaccording to the annual plan for the prevention, surveillance and extinction of fires in the mountains approved by the Cabildo. The document includes a detailed analysis of the physical reality of the Island, of the risks, the weather and the vegetation, as well as a detailed description of the Brifor Operation, as well as the regulation of uses and prohibitions.
The Corona Forestal Natural Park is a protected environmental zone, whose 46,612 hectares make it the largest natural area with protection of Canary Islands –Tenerife has 48% of its surface with this condition–. It extends from about 300 meters above sea level to 2,718 of the Alto de Guajara
It should be remembered that the great fire last summer in the north of the island, which affected some 2,000 hectares, partly affected some of the wooded masses arranged around the Teide National Park within the municipalities of Los Realejos – the most affected by that fire originated in the area of Los Campeches–, Adeje, Vilaflor, Guía de Isora, Santiago del Teide, Garachico, Icod de los Vinos, La Orotava, La Guancha, San Juan de la Rambla, Granadilla, Arico, Fasnia, El Tank, Güímar, Arafo, Candelaria and La Victoria de Acentejo. The natural park is also the headwaters of a large part of the ravines that make up the drainage network to the north and south of the island. Its role is key in terms of soil conservation against erosive phenomena, and also in terms of water collection.
The Governing Council of the Cabildo de Tenerife approved this week the annual plan against fires forestry, a document that includes the different actions to be carried out, both at a preventive and operational level. In addition to the forest crown, it includes the Anaga and Teno natural parks as areas of special risk from these phenomena.
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cash
A total of 327 workers of the Cabildo form the operation. They have been joined since April by 122 reinforcements, as well as the 42 from the Teide National Park. In total, 591 troops.
30
Vehicles
In addition to the always essential vehicle from the Advanced Command Post (PMA) in case of fire, the planning contemplates another 29 SUVs for transport.
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pumpers
The land operation is made up of three 9,000-litre pumpers, 14 forestry trucks of between 3,500 and 5,000, two medium-sized 1,800-litre trucks and another 30 light 500-litre trucks.
All prepared
The acting island president, Peter Martin, assures that “during this mandate that is now ending, the device against fires has been a priority.” He emphasizes that “from the Cabildo we have increased the number of people dedicated to this work and invested in the purchase of new material and vehicles.” Valora: “Now, our intention is for the new government team to have everything ready and in order from the moment it takes office, in the event of an incident of these characteristics.”
The fire plan includes a detailed analysis of the physical reality of the Island with respect to its thermal and wind regime, rainfall, vegetation or protected areas. It also delves into the danger of forest fires, the vulnerability of the island territory and specifying the areas at high risk of forest fires.
The document also includes a detailed description of the Cabildo de Tenerife’s (Brifor) fire prevention and fire-fighting operation, which includes the air and ground means of extinguishing, the fire surveillance and detection systems, the organization model or available external media. Likewise, it contains the preventive works to be carried out throughout the year –particularly forestry treatments, firebreak areas, access roads and water points–, the regulation of uses and prohibitions and planning at the local level.
Operative Brifor
A total of 327 people are already working in the operation against forest fires deployed by the Cabildo de Tenerife with the aim of preventing fires from starting in the protected areas of the Island. The operators under the command of the island are deployed throughout the year with tasks direction, prevention, control and extinction. To them are added, since last April, the 122 reinforcement workers to the operation, who will be deployed until mid-December, as well as the 42 troops from the Teide National Park.
With regard to land operations, this year six new forest fire trucks with a capacity of between 3,000 and 4,500 liters and five lighter ones that can accumulate up to 500 liters have been incorporated. The ground operation will be made up entirely of three 9,000-litre pumpers, 14 forestry trucks for between 3,500 and 5,000, two medium-sized 1,800-litre trucks, another 30 light 500-litre trucks, plus an Advanced Command Post (PMA) vehicle and 29 all-terrain vehicles. intended for transportation. At the aerial level, there are two helicopters based at the Tenerife Sur airport and three drones that have a thermographic and visual camera to take images and videos.
Deployment is ready. In addition to meteorological factors such as heat, humidity or wind, its effectiveness depends on the most important and unpredictable of all: the human.
