SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, July 17 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The forest fire declared at dawn last Saturday in the municipality of Puntagorda, on the island of La Palma, is still active and the evolution of the fire continues within the control lines established by those responsible for extinction, with a quite favorable evolution in the north and south flanks, although it continues to require land and air resources that are continuously fighting the flames.
This was reported at a press conference by the Minister of Territorial Policy, Territorial Cohesion and Water, head of Emergencies of the Government of the Canary Islands, Manuel Miranda, who has detailed that on the northern front of the fire, in the area of El Reventón, there are no active flames at this time and the fire is stabilized.
Manuel Miranda indicated that on the southern flank, in the Jieque ravine, technical work is being carried out by firefighting personnel and today 80% of the air resources and ground troops have concentrated in this area. , with a media influx of about 150 people who have been working on site. Thus, the counselor wanted to inform the residents that this afternoon, due to the fire control maneuvers that are being carried out, a large amount of smoke will be produced in the ravine.
The most complex part of the fire, added Miranda, continues to be the front of the Caldera de Taburiente National Park, where the fire is advancing slowly. For this reason, he advanced that tomorrow, Wednesday, they will act “forcefully” on this flank with air and ground means, waiting for how the fire evolves throughout tonight.
Precisely, the counselor explained that the media that will operate during the night will be about 150 firefighting personnel and 40 members of the Canary Islands Police, Civil Guard and Local Police, up to a total of just over 190 troops.
On the other hand, he pointed out that the town councils of the municipalities affected by the fire have already begun the work to assess the damage caused by the fire, especially in homes and services, for the purpose of preparing reports with the to ask for possible help.
Montse Román, head of Civil Protection and Emergency Attention of the Canary Islands, explained that the fire remains in some 3,500 affected hectares and tomorrow the same number of air and land means will operate.
