The emergency teams working against the fire in Tenerife have prevented damage to the facilities of the Teide Observatory of the Instituto Astrofísica de Canarias, one of the most important for astronomical observation at an international level.
During the night, 300 ground troops worked intensively in Izaña to prevent damage to the scientific infrastructures located in the area. At this point, within the Teide National Park, the Meteorological Observatory is also located. The fire reached this area after the spread of the flames in the highlands of the municipality of La Orotava. This circumstance also caused this Sunday the eviction of the Parador Nacional del Teide.
As reported this Monday by the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) “it has managed to prevent the terrible fire in Tenerife from causing damage to the infrastructures of the Teide Observatory (OT)” after the flames reached the National Park yesterday and surrounded quickly the vicinity of the Themis and Stella telescopes. As explained by the Institute, the fire entered the Teide Observatory through the valley that borders the Meteorological Observatory when the Izaña front opened up.
“The fire checkpoints, which had been deployed in the area in anticipation of what could happen, reacted immediately and, although the fire progressed rapidly towards the Themis and Stella telescopes, damage to the facilities was avoided thanks to the intervention of the teams land and air ”, details the IAC. Thus, around 9:00 p.m., the fire once again engulfed the observatory on the eastern and southern fronts, crossing the road that connects with the Meteorological Observatory and moving towards the main entrance of the OT.
“The action throughout the night of the fire services, firefighters and brigades, which were reinforced by the Military Emergency Unit (UME) and other resources, managed to prevent the fire from damaging the telescopes”, adds the scientific institution, which has grateful to the staff “for their total dedication, generosity and extreme professionalism”. The IAC has also wished that these circumstances “do not happen again and that the fire in Tenerife does not cause more damage”.
“Our solidarity with all the neighbors who have been affected by these very complicated circumstances,” concludes the Institute.
Since the fire was declared last Tuesday, August 15, the fire has already devastated more than 13,000 hectares, occupies a perimeter of 90 kilometers, affects 12 municipalities on the island and has forced the evacuation of nearly of 12,000 citizens.
