LA OROTAVA (TENERIFE), Aug. 31 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The early morning of August 21 saw one of the most critical days of the Tenerife forest fire as the flames advanced, in the Izaña area, towards the observatories of the Astrophysical Institute of the Canary Islands (IAC) and the Spanish Meteorology Agency ( Aemet), “critical” infrastructures of the State that managed to be saved thanks to the action of the Military Emergency Unit (UME) and the extinction services.
This was explained to the media this Thursday by Captain Rafael San José, of the Natural Emergencies Intervention Company, who pointed out that with a “battalion” of 20 soldiers plus the support of the EIRIF and Brifor extinction teams and the “direct attack” with water from the helicopters managed to defend the facilities.
One of the keys was to place a portable swimming pool in Izaña, with a capacity of 12,000 liters, which allowed the loading times of the helicopters to be reduced from nine to three minutes and to multiply their activity by three, in some “very complicated” days because the wind It was “changeable” and the flames exceeded “seven and eight meters high.”
MORE THAN 200 STAFF
San José, who has appeared before the media together with the acting Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, has pointed out that the UME mobilized 205 troops plus another 50 means including fire engines, nurseries and drones in the fire.
He said that the work in the Izaña area lasted almost 24 hours and had a second phase in which it was possible to contain the advance of the fire towards the municipality of Fasnia, given the danger of it coming into contact with the forest crown in Arico.
“There was low, very dry brush, which favored the advance of the front at high speed with high intensity,” recalls the captain.
Robles has flown over the affected areas with the Chief of Staff of the Army (JEME), Army General Amador Enseñat, and the head of the UME, Division General Javier Marcos, and has thanked “the work that the UME has done and its coordination work with the extinction teams”, among which were also the seaplanes of the 43rd Group of the Air and Space Army.
Likewise, he has valued “the work of the Government of the Canary Islands”, highlighting that “when there is a tragedy” of this type, all administrations are united “and there are no political colors, there is work, efficiency and professionalism of these magnificent teams.”
“ATTITUDE AND ABILITY TO WIN”
General Marcos, who took office on August 16 with the order to act in the Tenerife fire, has confessed “impressed by the preparation and way of acting of the men and women of the UME, it is a unit that is permanently in operations like those carried out abroad and always has an attitude and ability to win.
Robles has been able to have a general view of the burned areas in the Teide National Park and the Corona Forestal, in a visit in which the head of the Canary Islands Command, Lieutenant General Julio Salom, and the subdelegate of the Government in Santa Cross of Tenerife, Jesús Plata.
The minister has expressly thanked “the collaboration always with the UME of the Army”, which in this fire has provided support with two tanker vehicles to facilitate the hydration of the extinguishing services.
In total, the UME has 162 soldiers stationed in the Canary Islands, 82 of them in the ‘Gando’ detachment (Gran Canaria) and 80 in ‘Los Rodeos’.
Robles has also gone to the Los Rodeos Barracks, which has been supporting the UME and helping the civil authorities during the fire, where she has been received by the head of the ‘Canarias XVI’ Brigade, Brigadier General Ricardo Esteban, and other military commanders.
Already in the barracks, General Salom has thanked the minister for the visit and has stressed that the personnel are the “main asset” of the army, collects a note from the Ministry.
The 93rd Field Artillery Regiment, a Maneuver Helicopter Battalion (BHELMA VI) and a detachment from the Natural Emergencies Intervention Unit (UIEM ‘Canarias’) are located in Los Rodeos.
The colonel in charge of the Artillery Regiment (RACA 93), José Luis Heredero, explained that they are currently participating in various scenarios “in Latvia, Estonia, Turkey and Lithuania” and that for the artillerymen it is “a good professional moment”, to which Minister Robles agreed, emphasizing that “in the Baltic countries, anti-aircraft artillery is fundamental as a consequence of the war in Ukraine”.
Robles and the JEME have thanked the quartering units for “the spirit of sacrifice and work” that they do every day and with a great “closeness” to the citizenry that makes “the Spanish feel proud of their Army, and they are an important part of the Spain Brand”.
