Forest fire in Ifonche area

[Janet]

Think so. If they have a controlled fire there's no fuel left for the big fire to burn, and with nothing to consume, it goes out. I think that's the idea anyway. The problem with the big fire in 2007 was the wind because the fire was jumping firebreaks ... but although it's really quite windy now, it's nothing like it was then.

[El Profesor]

Been up on my roof this morning - it looks like the whole island is on fire.

[El Profesor]

A contingent of 110 from the Emergency Military Unit are heading for Tenerife and La Palma from the mainland. Three water planes from Seville are also coming to help the firefighting efforts on both islands. The Canarian Government is arranging with the Ports Authority for the planes to take water from Los Cristianos harbour .............

This seems to me a bit like bolting the stable door when it's all burnt down.

Wouldn't things perhaps be a little different if these water planes had been sent two days ago when it was still "on agricultural land".
Or indeed, that these corrupt Canarian politicians had a plane themselves .....

[Janet]

One of the saddest pictures I could take. Straight up the hill, looking up directly at the crater, behind which is the cone of Teide, and the flames are clearly visible in the highest forest. It's like a scene from ... I don't know any more. I could just cry. We have raining ash, intense heat, apparently it's safe even though the western arm of the fire is still burning out of control. Part of the fire right at the top is being contained, it seems, but this morning's news hasn't really started filtering through.  Helicopters are already flying uphill over us with water, and of course today we should have the waterplanes and the extra troops. Let's hope they can get in control today, but it's too late. It's in the national park.

[Janet]

 Intensive efforts are still ongoing in the national park but it seems they're getting somewhere with the left arm of the fire that was heading to Guía de Isora es but efforts have now intensified there. There'll be another press conference at 1pm.

[Janet]

The fire has reached the Barranco de Erques. We've just had sirens and fire engines ... it's here.

[Nova]

Oh god, be careful! Keep us informed 

[Janet]

Will do. We have fire engines, forestry vehicles, police, the lot, up here right now and they'll evacuate if they think there's any real danger to the village itself ... they did the same with Tijoco Alto yesterday morning. We've drawn up a list of things to take, though, so that we don't have to think on the spot if they tell us to leave.

[Janet]

Despite persistent rumours, plastered over FB and even on TV, the Policía Local at Guía de Isora say that they do not need water lorries and that the report was a hoax that was, unfortunately, picked up by FB, TV stations, etc.  I have just spoken direct to them, and they ask that people stop calling them because it is tying up their lines, and that the Policía Local have not been co-ordinating efforts, which under a Level 2 alert are being run by the Government of the Canaries.

[Janet]

Water plane now in Tenerife and should be active any minute.