Tourists are safe in Teneriffa and invited back despite fires

Tenerife

The situation surrounding the wildfire that has been burning in Tenerife for several days is starting to ease, which means a de-escalation process can begin that will allow the evacuated population to return home safely.

Teneriffa’s fighting action on the fire is progressing more positively and enabling work to be undertaken according to plan.

A total of 610 people continue to fight the fire (275 firefighters, 115 security officers, 40 logistics officers, 20 coordinators, and 160 volunteers), and the 21 units combating the flames from the air will focus their efforts today on the most compromised parts of the island.

According to reports from the Regional Government of the Canary Islands, the area affected by the fire now stands at 14,624 hectares in 12 municipalities.

This follows an adjustment to the perimeter, which currently spans 88 kilometers. The affected municipalities are Arafo, Candelaria, Güímar, Fasnia, El Rosario, La Orotava, Santa Úrsula, La Victoria, La Matanza, El Sauzal, Tacoronte and Los Realejos.

Road access routes into the mountains remain closed, specifically, those leading to the Teide National Park from the north and south of the island, as well as the trails that surround it.

The population is also being asked to stay away from the perimeter of the fire in order not to hinder or distract the work being done by professional firefighters.

The regional government has stated that the air quality index is poor in those municipalities closest to the fire, although this varies depending on wind direction, so we are advising people to follow the recommendations issued by the authorities at any given time. Air quality is very poor in areas close to the fire in Los Realejos, La Orotava and Arafo, where the use of FFP2 face masks is recommended.

In the areas closest to the fire and in order to protect the most vulnerable and high-risk groups, authorities recommend not staying outside for extended periods of time, closing your doors and windows, and wearing FFP2 face masks if necessary.

Meanwhile, the situation remains entirely normal in all major cities and tourist destinations on the island.

Most of the local population and tourists in both the Metropolitan Area (including Santa Cruz and La Laguna) and Arona or Adeje, including Santiago del Teide, Guía de Isora, San Miguel de Abona and Puerto de la Cruz can go about their daily lives without incident.

As a result, the island is an entirely safe destination at this time for both local residents and tourists who are currently here or planning to come.

ll port and airport operations are continuing without any issues and have recorded no cancellations due to the fire. Road traffic around the island is also unaffected, except for the road closures on access routes into the mountainous area.

We would like to highlight and express our gratitude for the exemplary conduct of both local residents and the more than 130,000 tourists on average who have been spending their time recently on an island with 931,626 inhabitants and who have followed the instructions issued by the authorities at all times.

The outstanding work by firefighters and the operation launched by the authorities have made it possible to report zero personal injuries as a result of the fire. The Island Council of Tenerife, the Regional Government of the Canary Islands, and the Government of Spain have been fully coordinated throughout this situation.

This has led to the safety of everybody in Tenerife is guaranteed thanks to the strict safety plan implemented by the authorities.

In any event, provided the situation remains unchanged, we are calling for extreme precautions and ask that you follow these safety recommendations and stay informed about the development of this fire using the channels for official communication from the Regional Government of the Canary Islands and the Island Council of Tenerife:

A telephone number for the Network of Tourist Information Centers on the island has also been set up to answer any questions from visitors in Spanish and English: (+34) 922 255 433. This service will be available between 09:00 and 20:30 (local time).

Turismo de Tenerife would like to reiterate their recognition of and gratitude for the commendable efforts being made by the firefighting team, as well as the exemplary conduct of the population and tourists at this difficult time.

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About the author

Juergen T Steinmetz

Juergen Thomas Steinmetz has continuously worked in the travel and tourism industry since he was a teenager in Germany (1977).
He founded eTurboNews in 1999 as the first online newsletter for the global travel tourism industry.

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