SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 9th May. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The administration of Tenerife is set to execute the Brifor Operation aimed at the Prevention and Elimination of Forest Fires starting from the 3rd of June until the 3rd of November to tackle the peak hazardous period, as conveyed by the president of the administration, Rosa Dávila. She, along with the counselor of Natural Environment, Sustainability, and Security and Emergencies, Blanca Pérez, convened a coordination meeting concerning the operation where the insular director of Natural Environment, Pedro Millán, and the director of Security and Emergencies, Iván Martín, were also present.
Rosa Dávila emphasised the extension of the operation duration to five months, reminding that the Brifor unit of the administration “is operational throughout the year and gets bolstered with additional public company personnel from Gesplan during the summer months”. She mentioned that reinforcement staff has been engaged in other mountain tasks since March and will integrate into the Brifor Operation from the 3rd of June to combat fires.
The administration’s president stressed the imperative nature of conducting preventive and awareness-raising activities consistently throughout the year, a collaboration already underway with local councils “as many incidents commence in the interface zone.” “It’s crucial to promote the Medianías Plan as numerous mountains are privately owned and if not tended to by landowners, they might become accessible to individuals willing to exploit them,” she added.
Blanca Pérez highlighted the importance of fostering awareness among the populace “as it’s vital to maintain cleanliness around farms and residential areas.” She emphasised the growing number of fires in interface zones, necessitating enhanced educational and training initiatives for all citizens.
Noteworthy enhancements for this year include the addition of nine fire trucks, while the island Corporation will possess two helicopters – both stationed at the South Airport – one operational year-round and the other for seven months, coinciding with the forest fire season. Efforts are also ongoing to enhance the training of Brifor operation personnel and the Tenerife Firefighters Consortium.
Regarding the Tenerife Firefighters Consortium, the primary innovation is the launch of the provisional Guía de Isora park, enhancing emergency response times in the western part of the island. Moreover, the Center of Insular Operational Coordination (Cecopin), situated in the blue tower of the Santiago Martín Pavilion, has also undergone improvements regarding management teams and equipment. Hence, a replica of the Highway Information Center, the Tenerife Fire Consortium, and Cecoes-112 has been set up for their operations during significant emergencies.
