A turn of the wind during the night has uncontrolled the fire declared this Thursday in the north of Tenerife, in the area of Los Campeches in Los Realejos. Some 150 troops have had to fight a surprise fire that has gone from 500 to 2.000 hectares in just a few hours and already affects four municipalities within a perimeter of 20 kilometers. Twice the surface than yesterday.
The evolution of the fire has made it necessary that, soon after noon, a preventive evacuation be initiated in the Las Llanadas area, from the Chanajiga recreational area to the upper area of Las Llanadas (not the urban center) and the Palo ravine. White, in Los Realejos. The eviction affects, at the moment, about 50 homes.
After a while, the lawyers and those responsible for the emergency were optimistic with the evolution and control of the flight, but the situation has become complicated. Today's conditions are unfavorable for extinguishing tasks, with heat, mist, haze in height and strong gusts of wind.
During the night the fire has advanced on the different fronts and the affected area has been about 2.000 hectares, with a perimeter of 20 kilometers.
The Security Councilor of the Government of the Canary Islands, Julio Pérez, has indicated that today the situation "is worse than we wanted and expected, especially because of the weather, which has been less favorable than we had anticipated and desired", which has produced »an increase in the affected area«.
Julio Pérez pointed out that the weather during the night has been "difficult", especially due to elvaino, which has been "very variable and with greater intensity than expected", reaching flames of up to 60 meters in height, which makes "more difficult» the work of extinction.
This fact, pointed out the counselor, has contributed to the fact that the fire has exceeded the border of Tigaiga, located to the west of the Valle de La Orotava, making the flames and smoke "very visible" from Los Realejos, hence They have recorded many calls from neighbors requesting information.
At the same time, it has warned of the intensity of the fire and the temperature on other fronts of the fire, forcing to reinforce surveillance in areas close to population centers. In fact, the incorporation of urban firefighters is planned to control these areas.
Today, Saturday, two Forest Fire Intervention and Reinforcement (EIRIF) teams from El Hierro, as well as the seaplane from Malaga, which will arrive in Gando sober at 13:15 p.m. and could be operational sober on the ground sober at 16 or XNUMX p.m. However, the mist and haze are making it difficult for aerial means to leave and have even caused the La Guancha base to be inoperative for a few moments.
Today a total of 12 airborne means and 170 ground troops will fight the fire from the air.
With regard to the logistics system, 50 more beds have been arranged for eventual accommodation. In this sense, during the night it has had to evacuate about five people. In addition, today the TF-21, which connects La Orotava with El Portillo, has been closed.
