Tijarafe (La Palma) (EFE).- The forest fire in the northwest of La Palma has been stabilized at 1:00 p.m. with an affected area of 2,900 hectares, although fourteen points within the perimeter still have to be fully extinguished, which do not pose a risk, to be able to take it under control.
The Minister of the Presidency of the Government of the Canary Islands, Nives Lady Barreto, has announced that there are no active fronts that can extend the perimeter, but for now the same land and air resources are maintained.
The fire began at 1:05 a.m. on Saturday in the El Fayal area, in the municipality of Puntagorda, and spread rapidly to Tijarafe in an area where houses and mountains interface, forcing a large evacuation of residents of both localities, some 4,000, who have already been able to return to their homes.
A total of sixty buildings have been affected by the fire, which has also caused damage, especially in vineyards.
The llamas have also reached some 200 hectares of the Caldera de Taburiente National Park.
“It has been an epic performance,” said Nieves Lady Barreto, who recalled that at first, when the fire broke out at dawn, it was the residents themselves and the environmental staff of the Cabildo de La Palma who fought against the flames.
The 40-kilometer-per-hour wind caused secondary sources to be activated, which led to the activation of level two of the forest fire at 07:42 a.m., with which the Government of the Canary Islands assumed the coordination of the extinction work.
The main objective of the operation was that the fire did not exceed the LP-1 highway towards the coast, which is where the most populated areas are, and in the few places where the flames came down they could be quickly controlled.
The fire has been attacked these four days on three fronts, the north, the south and the National Park.
In its stabilization, 500 troops from the ground and eleven aerial means have participated daily: two seaplanes, an Air Tractor plane, seven helicopters in extinction work and a Civil Guard coordination helicopter.
The seaplanes will continue to unload at the fourteen points that still remain inside the perimeter to ensure their total extinction.
The Government of the Canary Islands has approved the first aid for furniture and household goods and has also requested funds from the State, which will be channeled through the Cabildo de La Palma.
Nieves Lady Barreto has highlighted the “excellent collaboration” between the administrations and the speed in activating the means against fire.
Once the fire is controlled, a perimeter of the affected area will be made and the calculation of the affected area will probably be reduced. EFE