Breña Alta (La Palma) (EFE).- The forest fire declared this morning in the municipality of Puntagorda, in La Palma, has affected 140 hectares, has burned 11 houses and there are more than 500 people evicted, the president of Canarias, Fernando Clavijo.
The number of evicted could reach a thousand in the next few hours given the progress of the fire, Clavijo explained, after a meeting with the technicians who direct the extinction tasks.
However, the Canarian president has said that if the weather “accompanies” the fire could be controlled during the day, although he has also warned that the wind is very changeable and very strong gusts are expected that could make extinction tasks difficult.
In addition to the four aerial means that are intervening, there are three seaplanes that have been requested from the Central Government and one more helicopter is arriving from the island of Tenerife.
Clavijo has announced that in the next few hours four fire units from Tenerife, the Autonomous Police will be incorporated and around 2:00 p.m., 150 troops from the Military Emergency Unit will arrive on the island.
“All the necessary means are being put in place” said the Canarian president, who also recalled that the weather conditions “are what they are and there has been a lot of heat and little water” which means that there is a lot of fuel in the mountains.
He has asked the population to listen to the technicians and has trusted that the wind will not complicate the extinction tasks. EFE