Forest fires 2013

[Janet]

After 20-odd fires this year so far, all of them quickly put out, they're saying it's now only a matter of time before there's a large fire. As a result, emergency services have issued a request for anyone living in fire-risk areas to keep any BBQ wood and fuel away from their properties, and to clear a 15m space around their properties. Let's hope they're wrong about the large fire, but it's sensible advice for any living in the hills. JA

[Janet]

 The Tenerife Cabildo has effectively closed Teide, with all activities banned and access roads closed from 7pm this evening, Thursday, due to the extreme risk of fire. Whether cycling, picnics, hiking, camping, hunting, works, or anything else in mountain areas, the lot are banned. It goes without saying that anything remotely fire or spark connected is already banned.

The Cabildo has announced the following roads as in "risk zones", and travel through forested areas in these zones is prohibited. In the north: Llano del Moro to Tenerife II prison; TF-11; Camino Real de La Orotava to carretera general del Norte and Santa Úrsula; forest track Corujera to Pino Alto; Pino Alto- Orotava-Portillo to the Chasna cross and Benijo-Los Realejos-carretera general del Norte-La Guancha-La Florida-Icod de los Vinos; carretera general del Norte Icod de los Vinos-Garachico-Los Silos-Buenavista del Norte to punta de Fraile.

In the west: Parque Rural de Teno to Santiago del Teide; and the main road from Santiago del Teide to Las Américas and the motorway to the Valle San Lorenzo cross ... I am trying to double check this because it seems odd.

In the south: carretera general to Güímar; Güímar-Arafo; Los Loros to Cuevecitas cross; Cuevecitas-Araya y general del Sur; and from the there to the municipal boundary of El Rosario with La Laguna and to Llano del Moro.

In Anaga: Punta del Hidalgo-Bajamar-Tejina-Tegueste; Tegueste-Portezuelo and urban area of La Laguna around la Mesa Mota to Las Mercedes and the Jardina-Vía de Ronda-carretera de La Cuesta and limit with the Parque Rural de Anaga.

[Janet]

To clarify the position for west Tenerife, the roads should be taken as lines defining a border of a risk area. Any areas with trees - not just forests - "higher" than these lines is out of bounds. The main line for west Tenerife is the Santiago del Teide-Adeje road and the motorway continuing to the Palm Mar/Valle San Lorenzo junction. Clearly the Santiago del Teide area is a risk area - just look at what happened last year - but so are the upper reaches of Guía de Isora, Adeje and Arona, which is the whole area affected by last year's main fire.

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

I'm confused.  How the hell are people supposed to get around?   

[Janet]

stick to the coast is the rule, I guess, really. I think for residents of mountain villages, eg Tijoco Alto, they will have dispensations. I imagine this is just a general rule to stop people coming up for recreational purposes.

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

What if, for the sake of argument, someone living at 580m just east of the Santiago del Teide-Adeje road, had friends from the UK coming around at 7.30 tonight to go out to dinner? 

[Janet]

I would say that was banned ... but I suspect plenty will ignore this under similar circumstances. There are reports that the police will be out looking for such traffic, but I don't know how true that is.

edit: I guess the arrangements could be modified so that the people living above the road could go down below it and meet there ... 

[Janet]

HERE is the official announcement from the Cabildo on its own noticias site.

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

I would say that was banned ... but I suspect plenty will ignore this under similar circumstances. There are reports that the police will be out looking for such traffic, but I don't know how true that is.

edit: I guess the arrangements could be modified so that the people living above the road could go down below it and meet there ... 

Yes, I was already thinking that.  I will warn the hypothetical people.   

It will be interesting to see if they have blocked off access to the mountain road where we walk the dogs tomorrow morning. 

[Janet]

... of course, some roads leading off above the Santiago-Adeje road aren't to "wooded" areas ... and it's only in wooded areas on those roads that traffic is banned ...