Clavijo stresses that the fire “has not gained a square meter” and hopes that it can be considered stabilized throughout this Thursday
SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, Aug. 24 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The forest fire that has affected Tenerife for nine days continues its evolution in a stable manner, with the presence of ‘hot spots’ but without gaining more surface, with just over 14,700 hectares burned and a perimeter of 90 kilometers.
In a press conference held at the Arafo Advanced Command Post, the president of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, has detailed that there are still less than 300 people evacuated and this afternoon, starting at 5:00 p.m., the decision will be made on whether to they can return to their homes, as well as the opening of the entrances to the Teide National Park.
Clavijo is confident that the fire can be considered stabilized this Thursday but has warned that temperatures will be very high from noon and there will be “continuous reactivations” within the perimeter.
The president has valued that it is the first night that the fire “has not gained a square meter” and has been able to “contain” and has taken advantage of his appearance before the media to thank and highlight the work of the professionals of the services of extinction given the “magnitude” and the “impact” of the fire that has forced great coordination between administrations.
He has said that thanks to the air resources a “catastrophe” has been avoided – compared to what has happened this summer in other parts of the world – and has extended his congratulations to the State security forces and bodies, the NGOs, especially the Red Cross, and the media themselves because they have made it possible to combat “hoaxes”, something that has given “a lot of peace of mind” to the population, which has had an “exemplary behavior”.
The president of the Cabildo de Tenerife, Rosa Dávila, has admitted that the fire “is still active” and with several reactivations, especially at the top of Güímar, La Hornaca and La Vica, and has insisted on sending a message of “prudence and caution”. because the perimeter is very large and it is not fully stabilized yet.
Along these lines, he has indicated that “there are many hot spots and a lot of combustible material left” and “the light at the end of the tunnel” is beginning to be seen, while he has vindicated “extraordinary coordination” between all administrations. “It has been a pride to work in coordination, only the colors of the shirts change, we are a single team”, he pointed out.
Along these lines, he has thanked the deployment of State resources on the island given that this fire “behaves differently” and requires urban and forest resources, and has served to “learn” to improve coordination and review protocols. “This fire will be studied for many years,” she explained.
WORK AS “ONE SINGLE TEAM”
The acting Minister for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, Teresa Ribera, highlighted that “a single team” has worked on the fire despite the “different cultures and skills” of the extinguishing media, corroborating an “exemplary work ” that “you still can’t give up” for what he has urged to “be cautious, maintain prudence and caution and follow the recommendations of 112 and Civil Protection”.
He has also valued the management of the mayors who “have been at the foot of the canyon when the neighbors lived with anguish and anxiety that the fire was close to their homes”, and the response of the citizens, “who have diligently complied with the confinement and evacuation” and “they have known that the important thing is to follow the recommendations”.
The minister has indicated that the perimeter “does not move” but there are “living embers” that must be kept under control in order to open a “new stage” as soon as possible, the declaration of a ‘catastrophic zone’ that will allow the quantification of resources to be activated to alleviate the damage, especially the consolidation of the land to prevent erosion.
However, he has made it clear that there is “a lot of work ahead to control, cool and restore the damage.”
Ribera stressed that the population, homes, ecosystems and infrastructures have been protected, especially highlighting the IAC facilities and the Aemet Observatory in the Izaña area.
FIRES INCREASINGLY VIRUENT
The minister has also reflected on the “virulence” of some fires “that correspond less and less to traditional fires”, giving as an example what has happened in Hawaii, Turkey, Greece or Canada, since they are increasingly “more frequent and aggressive.”
To deal with these ‘macro-fires’, he has highlighted the existence of “first class professionals” who have “anticipation capacity” by having a permanent structure that is also reinforced in case of need and with “very powerful coordination”.
Along these lines, he has indicated that they feel “more confident” thanks to the work of the prevention and extinction teams, but that “does not mean not improving and professionalizing”, although “the orientation is correct” through the autonomous communities and with the State present in all the territories –the Puntagorda BRIF since 2006– and with an “immediate capacity” when the fire materializes and exceeds the level of support.
Likewise, he has said that “it is not enough to think that the seasons are four months, you have to work all year round, and the updating of media must be permanent and that it adapts to the risk area.”
He has also said that collaboration “must be international”, and in fact, the BRIF travel all over the world, something that “will be a greater constant” because large fires are “one of the most important impacts of climate change ” and will require greater dedication in the coming years.
