Forest fire in Ifonche area

[Janet]

I'm sure you'll all appreciate how happy I am to see this - even if it's not the most usual of photos! Just to the left of where you can see in the photo there is indeed still a sickening red glow in the sky, which is where Tágara is on fire, but the official line is that no property is in danger tonight, and so we can all at least relax for a few hours and try to get some sleep. Tomorrow, hopefully the planes will make further inroads, and we'll have to start hoping like mad that the fire doesn't reach the Chio mountain. But for tonight, this makes me very happy.

[Nova]

It's tragic about Tágara, but an enormous relief that Vera appears to be off the critical list   That photograph looks so much better than the one you posted last night 

Do we know if the fire ever reached or caused any damage around Tijoco Alto?  I seem to remember they were evacuated quite early on - have the residents been allowed to return to their homes yet?

[Janet]

No. Taucho and La Quinta have been allowed home, but not Tijoco Alto yet. I don't know of any reports of actual damage to the village itself but the fire got bloody close. About as close as it got to Vera last night.

[Janet]

Things look encouraging this morning, with hope that unless there are changes in meteorological conditions, today might be the last day of flames, and that it might, indeed, be stabilized within hours, say Canarian Government Protección Civil y Emergencias chief Humberto Gutiérrez and Tenerife Cabildo President Ricardo Melchior. They confirm that currently the perimeter of the fire is 4,000 hectares, with 1,000 hectares completely burnt.

Sr Melchior said that he would be meeting with mayor of Vilaflor Manuel Fumero to assess the situation in the municipality, and that it was hoped residents could return home today. Flames are hugely reduced from yesterday, though the fire remains active, he said.

Humberto Gutiérrez said that firefighting had been intensified to contain the west flank and that it was stabilized in Taucho and Ifonche, but there would be a problem if the wind picked up again. Residents of La Quinta and Taucho are already allowed back to their houses, but those of Tijoco Alto and Ifonche must remain evacuated for the moment. Water planes will be back in action today, and the main thing on the agenda is to stop the fire spreading to the Chio mountain, from where it would then spread to Santiago del Teide. The mayors of both municipalities met last evening to discuss co-ordinated plans. JA

[Janet]

 We have all three planes over us right now to drop water on Tágara. 

[Nova]

Wow, I bet that's some sight 

[Janet]

You're not kidding!!!

After the hoax about Santiago del Teide local police seeking water lorries, it's not surprising that people were sceptical about Arona's call for food and drink for volunteer firefighters. This was something I felt confident about or I shouldn't have posted it in the first place, but given the concern, I've triple checked this morning by speaking to the Patronal de Turismo de Arona itself. This call for supplies is not a hoax, it is 100% genuine. They are looking for water and fruit juice, fruit and bocadillos, for the volunteers involved with the fire. These are being coordinated by Protección Civil in Playa de las Américas. Please drop supplies off to them direct, opposite the police "parking" near the football field in PdlA.

[Janet]

112 has announced that the TF583 Taucho road has been reopened.

[Janet]

The BBC is now reporting the fire on its news website HERE.

[Janet]

Here are some marvellous photos of the hydroplane and two helicopters involved in fighting the Tágara fire. The water plane can just be made out in the last one in front of the two helicopters - it's already almost hidden by the smoke it's flying into. With many thanks to Chuck Urmson, one of whose photos I posted the other day; these are taken as the craft fly over Tejina. He has a camera, and zoom lens, that knocks spots off my little digital!