The fire in Tenerife is concentrated in pockets in three municipalities

The extinguishing equipment fire in Tenerife, started on August 15 and has been reactivated in various areas, they are this Wednesday working in three sectors located in the municipalities of Santa Úrsula, El Sauzal and La Orotava.

As reported by the Department of Territorial Policy of the Canarian Government, which is in charge of managing the emergency since it rose again to level 2 last Monday, during the night they acted in several outbreaks and focused on the Ravelo area. , in the municipality of El Sauzal.

The combatants, he adds in the latest update of the situation of this emergency issued after noon, are facing a fire “underground on a very large surface, a situation that is aggravated by high temperatures, low humidity and a prevailing wind during the morning that could reach 40 km/h today.”

The Ministry has indicated that during the night resources were also deployed in the Santa Úrsula sector, and that the most relevant action was carried out around 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, in the area of ​​Cruz del Villero, in the municipality of El Sauzal, where an outbreak of between 100 to 150 square meters with fallen radiata pine was declared and where the Forest Brigades (Brifor) of the Cabildo of Tenerife had to intervene.

At around 1:00 a.m., and after completing the intervention in the previous outbreak, the troops carried out extinguishing work in other outbreaks where minor hot spots were being detected.

During the day, 10 aerial vehicles are working, one of them in coordination tasks, which will support the work of the firefighting personnel deployed on the ground, while in the early morning there were 60 ground personnel, including forestry brigades from the Cabildo (BRIFOR), firefighters from the Tenerife Consortium and personnel from the UME, Security Corps and Forces, coordination personnel from CECOPIN, CECOES and the General Directorate of Emergencies, as well as the Red Cross.

The Military Emergency Unit has reported on social networks that during the night its work consisted of strengthening the perimeter in the northeast sector of the fire and direct attacks on pockets that were reactivated. They have worked alongside the members of the Island Council.

For now, 110 people remain evacuated from the communities of Las Calderetas, Campo de Tiro and Carril del Polvo, as well as the 500 dogs and 25 horses that have been housed in the Casa del Ganadero, in La Laguna. During the afternoon, the management of the Special Protection Plan for Civil Protection and Emergency Response to Forest Fires of the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands (INFOCA) will assess whether the situation is safe so that they can return to their homes.

The island of Tenerife, along with the rest of the West and Gran Canaria, is on maximum alert due to the risk of fire since temperatures are still above 34 degrees, with low humidity and, also, wind.

The fire that is ravaging the north of the island began in August in the Arafo mountains, located in the east, and spread across more than 14,000 hectares in twelve municipalities until it was considered controlled on September 11. However, last week, given the high temperatures that have been recorded for more than 10 days, there were up to three reactivations in a single night, all of them in the municipality of Santa Úrsula, and later, also in La Orotava and El Sauzal, where the active flames are now still active.

Activity restrictions

Due to the emergency situation, two sports events have been suspended: the Santa Cruz Extreme, scheduled for this weekend in the Anaga Rural Park, and the Tenerife Island Rally, whose start and end of the route was set in the capital of Tenerife. . In the case of the first test, the new scheduled dates are November 17 and 18

For its part, the Tenerife Cabildo has prohibited hunting with a shotgun throughout the island while the heat episode lasts.

In addition, the grade 2 measures established by the Insular Corporation contemplate the prohibition of making fires outdoors, whether barbecues, bonfires, gas stoves, the use of any type of machinery or tool that can project sparks is suspended (brush cutters, welding or radial cutting equipment) and the use of any pyrotechnic material in risk areas is prohibited.

Likewise, the circulation of motor vehicles on the network of forest trails for recreational purposes and the stay in recreational areas, camping areas and camps are prohibited. Sporting events and pilgrimages on forest and cross-country tracks and trails are also not permitted.

It is recommended not to access or remain in the forest areas of the Island for the duration of the alert and to take extreme precautions throughout the island territory with any activity that could generate fires (tobacco, use of generating sets, electrical and pyrotechnic material, etc. ). The restrictions corresponding to grade 2 of forest fire prevention will remain active until the alert situation ends.