Forest fire in Ifonche area

[Perikles]

Putting things into perspective, this report says that around 1% of the forest in Tenerife has been destroyed. That's an estimated 5,000 hectares of a total of 500,000 hectares.

[Janet]

Tenerife Cabildo President Ricardo Melchior has said in this morning's press conference that the vast majority of the fire's perimeter is now stable and should be controlled within a few hours. Sr Melchior said that the evolution of the fire at this point was good news, though all the necessary precautions should be taken. Minister for Economía, Hacienda y Seguridad, Javier González Ortiz, said that although the situation has improved substantially, the level 2 remained in place so that the coordination of the firefighting efforts should remain in the hands of the Regional Government.

Residents of Vilaflor and Tijoco alto will be able to go home in the next few hours once the front which threatened the town is stabilized. The northwest front is still active, as are various focal points in that area. Sr Melchior said that from the data available we can conclude that some 1,000 hectares have been burnt, 500 of them in the forest proper. In this sense, he stressed that in Tenerife the forestal is around 50,000 hectares, so the actual real damage affects just 1%.

During the night, firefighting has proceeded as foreseen. The east flank of the fire is being stabilized and the west, though active, has advanced slowly, gradually dying down as it has gone through sparsely populated pine forest areas and lava fields. Sr Melchior cxongratulated all who had taken part in the battle in the various administrations, both those on the ground and those directing operations, and the various affected municipalities, and collaborating quangos and private businesses.

Julio Herrero, Jefe de Servicio del Medio Natural del Gobierno de Canarias, operating director of INFOCA, said that the forecasts for firefighting last night were good, and that the strategy had been based on stabilizing the active zone and then trying to get it under control. The area affected was inaccessible, and helicopter units were needed, reinforced by the hydroplanes. If conditions remain as they are, the fire will not advance towards Santiago del Teide. In Vilaflor the services will work to maintain the fire's stability.

The health teams report that no medical assistance related to the fire was needed overnight. None the less, the medical post and assistance resources temporarily based in Guía de Isora will remain in operation in case their intervention becomes  necessary.

The electrical supply has been re-established to Vilaflor and La Escalona.

Road information: TF583 (Taucho) is now open.  The other roads remain closed at various points, namely TF567 (La Escalona - Ifonche); TF585 (Tijoco Alto); TF38 (Chío - Boca Tauce); TF21 (Vilaflor - Boca Tauce); TF51 (La Camella - Vilaflor); and  TF563 (San Miguel - Vilaflor). All could be closed for several days.  JA

[Janet]

Great news! Residents of Vilaflor, Tijoco Alto and Ifonche have been authorized to return to their homes. As well as the TF583 (Taucho), the TF585 (Tijoco Alto) has now also been reopened.

[El Profesor]

Putting things into perspective, this report says that around 1% of the forest in Tenerife has been destroyed. That's an estimated 5,000 hectares of a total of 500,000 hectares.

Putting things into perspective  - that's 90 % of the forest we have here in the south.
Sounds like political statistics to me.

[Perikles]

Putting things into perspective  - that's 90 % of the forest we have here in the south.
Sounds like political statistics to me.

I was just trying to be positive. I guess we have 99% of the morons who light fires in the south as well.

[Janet]

Cabildo 3pm:  The fire is evolving as foreseen with the perimeter secure apart from its west flank which is being fought with air and land resources. With respect to the southern flank, the presence of smoke does not imply any risk of the fire reactivating, and the residents of Vilaflor, Ifonche and Tijoco Alto, are now able to return to their houses, though with precaution for those with respiratory problems. 

Consejero de Seguridad del Cabildo de Tenerife, José Antonio Valbuena, said that some heavy machinery has already started to be withdrawn in certain areas because it had not been needed. At present, work is ongoing to restore the water supply in certain parts of Vilaflor.

Humberto Gutiérrez, Servicio de Protección Civil del Gobierno de Canarias chief, said that the perimeter remains the same as yesterday apart from on the west. The fire is anchored, perimetered, and stable. Moreover, weather conditions are good and no strong winds are forecast. He continued that once people and property are secure, which is the priority, work can now proceed with full steam ahead on the environmental front. This morning, aircraft have entered the barrancos affected in the western flank of the fire. These are mainly filled with rather more open pine forest which allow firefighters to work in secure conditions with air support.

The active part of the fire is advancing slowly and in a way that gives hope for its extinction. At the same time other hot spots are being cooled to avoid the fire starting up again, and earth piles have been placed around the whole of the perimeter to kill any flares.

In respect of the next few hours, the fire is static in both its flanks and tail.  If the fire cannot be stopped in its westward advance, it will finally go out in the lava field. None the less, said Sr Gutiérrez, while there are active points it is still not possible to say that the fire is under control.

With regard to roads, the only roads now closed are the TF38 (Chío-Boca Tauce) and the TF21 (Vilaflor-Boca Tauce). Both will remain closed for a few days to facilitate firefighting efforts. Finally, the electricity supply is now re-established in the Vilaflor and La Escalona areas. JA

[Janet]

 The fire on the north west flank in Guía de Isora is still burning this morning and has still not been stabilized, though with the return of the air resources it is hoped that by the end of the day it will be so - the hydroplane is making its first flyover right now, at 8.15am. The weather's going to help too because at least for today it's cooler, and the wind remains low. Canarian President Paulino Rivero says that work has been going on "intensively" to battle this particular part of the fire and certainly yesterday the hydroplanes and helicopters did not stop all day. Elsewhere, the fight will now be on to move the status from stabilized to under control, two words that everyone is hoping to hear today. Latest statistics are that the perimeter is 41km, 5,200 hectares are affected of which 1,000 hectares are completely burnt, half of which are forest. JA

[Janet]

Good news this morning from the Canarian Government, which says that it is no longer possible to talk of "fronts" of the fire - what we have now are focus points. Consejero de Economía, Hacienda y Seguridad del Gobierno de Canarias, Javier González Ortiz, opened the press conference this morning by saying that the most significant focal point  is in the Tágara-Chirche area of Guía de Isora where the terrain is difficult. This is where the air and land resources are now being concentrated. Sr Ortiz said that apart from this, the firefighting effort is continuing favourably.

Presidente of the Tenerife Cabildo Ricardo Melchior said that the maximum alert for forest fires continues and that the public should stay away from mountain areas in general, not just the forestal.

Both Sr Ortiz and Sr Melchior thanked once again the work carried out by personnel of Brifor de Medio Ambiente, the Consorcio de Bomberos de Tenerife, the Unidad Militar de Emergencias (UME), all the other firefighting resources, the Servicio de Urgencias Canario (SUC) and the Guardia Civil. They also stressed the work carried out by the Ayuntamientos, volunteers and Protección Civil of the different municipalities which have been affected by the fire, as well as collaborating businesses and institutions.

Chief of the Servicio de Protección Civil de la Dirección General de Seguridad y Emergencias del Gobierno de Canarias, Humberto Gutiérrez, explained that the objective now is to anchor and stabilize the barrancos in the west flank, not least because with the rise in temperature over the next few hours the firefighting effort could become more difficult. Sr Gutiérrez said that there will probably be "hot spots" inside the perimeter for the next few weeks.

With the firefighting effort being  increasingly successful, the Servicio de Urgencias Canario (SUC) withdrew its post from Guía de Isora late last night. The service will none the less keep an ambulance stationed in Ifonche in case its intervention were to be needed.

Roads: two roads remain closed, the TF38 Chio-Boca Tauce and the TF21 Vilaflor-Boca Tauce. These roads could remain closed a few more days. JA

[Janet]

Have a read ..... Artículo de Opinión: "Dejaron quemar a Guía"

[Janet]

 The TF21 and TF38 should be open again around 6pm. There are some wonderful photos HERE of the beautiful barranco and forest that is being consumed by fire right now. Poor Tágara.