Tenerife Forest Fire
The number of evicted people has been updated to 12.279, with the data provided by the police forces and town councils outside the census
Tonight there will be 343 troops and in the morning 23 air vehicles will join
The president of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, warned that a tough night of great complexity is expected, but that we must maintain confidence in the professionals and in the entire device that faces the fight against a fire of enormous dimensions, while remaining as priority the safety of people.
The forest fire spreads through 10 municipalities, although evacuations have been carried out in 11, with an area of almost 8.400 hectares in a very wide perimeter, 70 kilometers.
The president of the Cabildo, Rosa Dávila, described the fire as devastating, affecting the forest crown but also a large interface area, which has forced new evacuations.
The authorities have clarified that the real number of evacuated people is estimated at 12.279, once the data has been provided by the municipalities and security forces, apart from the census which reflects a higher figure.
Tonight there will be a total of 343 troops, of which 150 firefighters will fight alongside the Military Emergency Unit in the defense of material assets and homes in the evacuated areas. In this sense, although for the moment no homes have been affected, Dávila explained that the night will be difficult and that the extinguishing direction will take the appropriate measures to also protect the lives of those involved.
Regarding the situation of the fire, they reported that the southern flank is quite consolidated and has been reinforced with retardant. Another perimeter sector, although with hot spots, is the one that goes from La Esperanza to Tacoronte. There have been incidents in the Cerro area and in El Ravelo with high intensity reproductions that have been attacked. Reactivations tonight may be greater and evacuated areas should be prioritized.
The Santa Úrsula front is advancing because it is inaccessible and the most worrying part is located in the La Orotava Valley, where a significant contingent of resources will be concentrated to defend the assets.
The heights of Güímar (Cho Marcial) today concentrated the most recent aerial means, such as seaplanes, with the aim of lowering the intensity of the fire, although the smoke has not always allowed it, so the defense line has been reinforced. .
Early in the morning, 23 aerial means, five of them seaplanes, join the fight against the fire.
