SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE 3 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The president of the Tenerife Cabildo, Rosa Dávila, declared on Thursday that she intends to send a letter to the Defence Minister, Margarita Robles, to express the “appreciation” of the people of Tenerife to the military and to request the continuation of ‘Operation Prometheus’ monitoring of the mountains for the upcoming summer.
This was shared during a press conference to review the operation, where she emphasised the “overwhelming success” of the initiative, which was implemented for three months from July to September for the first time in the Canary Islands.
Dávila highlighted that there were no forest fires, thanks to the “close collaboration” between institutions that has allowed for the “security and protection of the mountains to be enhanced” with the support of the 600 Brifor troops.
She detailed that nearly 1,000 surveillance patrols day and night, alongside 6,000 physical presence activities, have been executed, creating a “security belt” at the “most critical” locations in the mountains, covering approximately 200,000 kilometres, equivalent to circling the island 530 times.
The president also reiterated that the “essential objective” of preventing forest fires has been accomplished, while acknowledging the deterrent effect of the military, which has helped prevent theft on farms. “They have been a symbol of cooperation and solidarity between institutions and citizens,” she stated.
Furthermore, she indicated they will also request Robles to include new resources, such as a helicopter capable of conducting night flights, which could also be utilised in fire situations.
The head of the Canary Islands Command, Lieutenant General Julio Salom, expressed his satisfaction with the operational results as the aim of prohibiting forest fires has been fulfilled – only eight incidents have been recorded – and he praised the “self-esteem” of the soldiers, who have felt “valuable.”
“Last year, our intention was to assist the soldiers, and we aimed to prevent such occurrences happening again,” he highlighted.
He noted that up to 10 patrols were in operation navigating through the forest canopy under the coordination of Cecopin, which had access to weather forecasts, stressing that “it was not merely about monitoring” but about “being visible.”
In this regard, he emphasised the “interaction” with the civilian population, which has “been one of the keys to success.” “We provided reassurance in the field; people felt secure in case anything occurred,” he remarked.
Salom also noted the “lessons learned” from an operation that commenced as a “clean slate,” and looking ahead, he advocates the enhancement of air resources for night operations and “technological interoperability,” as there are still “some shadow areas.”
