Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (EFE).- The fire declared this Tuesday in the municipality of Tejeda, in Gran Canaria, affects 200 hectares and presents two fronts, the left being the most worrying and where the troops are concentrated to prevent its advance and its approach to populated areas, which would raise it to level 2, reported the president of the Cabildo, Antonio Morales.
The flames cover a length from head to tail of between six and seven kilometers and the sparks are concerned about their ability to spread it, Morales said at a press conference, in which he pointed out that, despite the situation, the data they handle allows “to be cautiously optimistic”, although there may be changes at any time.
The technical director of extinction, Luis Fernando Arencibia, has detailed that the fire is “active” and uncontrolled, and he is waiting to obtain new data to see if it is possible to request level 2.
At the moment, he has said that it has not affected populations or homes and it is not necessary to raise the level, but it is not ruled out due to the nocturnal evolution.
Arencibia has indicated that a change in the direction of the wind to the north is expected, for which reason “the left flank will be reinforced tonight to prevent advancement into populated areas” of the municipalities of San Mateo and Valsequillo, which, if necessary, will be evacuated with sufficient time, for which reason he has asked “not to alarm” the population.
Forceful response to prevent it from advancing into populated areas
“You have to try to act forcefully on the left flank to prevent it from going down into populated areas” because its evolution “can be rapid,” he stressed.
The air and ground resources “from the beginning work to close both flanks, from tail to head,” Arencibia remarked.
A hundred people and nine air vehicles work in the area, of which three helicopters belong to the Ministry of Ecological Transition, as many to the Government of the Canary Islands, two to the Cabildo and one to the Civil Guard air unit that is in charge of coordination.
The forest fire reinforcement brigades (BRIF) of La Palma and La Gomera are also collaborating in the extinction and the one in El Hierro is on the way, which will join the means that have been provided by the Gran Canaria Emergency Consortium, in addition to the Environment and the Local, National, Autonomous Police and Civil Guard.
Morales has indicated that the arrival of a cargo plane on the ground from the Ministry of Ecological Transition is expected in the next few hours, and that if it goes up to level 2, “a reinforcement with fresh media for the night” would be available.
The fire, the cause of which is still unknown, originated in the Cortijo de Huertas area and advanced towards the Caldera de los Marteles, and has mainly affected the pine forest and broom area and it has been necessary to evacuate 100 children from two camps in Garañón and Cuevas Blancas, in addition to several residents of this same area.
The president of the Island Council has indicated that in the area close to the fire, work has been done with grazing and preventive measures, which has allowed the fire to have had “less intensity”, although the meteorological situation of high temperatures and low humidity complicate the situation, and the ashes and ashes that have generated attempts in nearby areas.
Morales, the Minister for the Environment, Climate, Energy and Knowledge Raúl García Brink and Arencibia will once again offer a press conference before tonight to report on the evolution of the fire that is affecting the island, which has not experienced a fire of this type since 2019. EFE