News from Tenerife #7 will be published on Monday as a brief news summary of the past week on your favorite website. In this series, we present a collection of events and news highlights from the past week. Each article in News from Tenerife #7 is a synthesis of various facts, actions, and incidents that are too short to appear as full-length articles.
Fire on La Palma Under Control
Firefighters and emergency services in La Palma have managed to contain and stabilize the forest fire that broke out around midnight near Mount Valencia in El Paso. The fire led to the evacuation of approximately 200 people. On Tuesday morning, November 12, 2024, at 3:00 a.m., the Cabildo of La Palma reported that the situation had been contained and stabilized. About seven hectares of pine forest were affected by the fire. While ground teams worked through the night to further control the blaze, aerial resources were deployed during the day to assist in extinguishing efforts.
More than 80 personnel, including staff from environmental organizations, firefighters, the Guardia Civil, and local police, are involved in the firefighting efforts. Their deployment was significantly increased to effectively control the spread of the fire. Residents of the Valencia and Los Barriales neighborhoods were evacuated as a precaution in the early morning. For those needing temporary shelter, the fairground in El Paso has been made available.
The situation remains closely monitored as firefighters and emergency personnel continue to work to ensure the safety of affected communities.
Restoration of Retama Plants in Teide National Park
Nearly twenty years after the start of a pioneering conservation project in Teide National Park, where multiple areas were fenced off to restore the population of the retama plant, a team of workers began removing the protections that allowed thousands of these endemic shrubs of Tenerife and La Palma to grow.
The initiative began in 2007, following a major fire and challenges observed by experts with this species’ natural reproduction. The warming climate and the negative impact of introduced herbivores like rabbits and mouflon sheep have hindered growth. Rabbits have a strong preference for the young shoots of retama plants when seeds germinate. In many areas unaffected by fires, regeneration has not been observed; adult plants survive, but new growth is absent. Therefore, temporary fencing was employed.
The ultimate goal is for the high-altitude retama landscape to remain the park’s main ecosystem. However, this work is becoming increasingly challenging due to the effects of both rabbits and climate change. Rising temperatures and reduced precipitation, especially snowfall—crucial for this high-altitude shrub—further complicate the restoration efforts. The southern and southwestern regions of the park are particularly affected, with rising temperatures and scarce rain. Despite attempts at similar measures, retama restoration has not succeeded in these areas.
Following the recent wildfire that impacted Tenerife in August 2023, new fencing was installed. Although controversial, these fences remain the only method to help restore the retama landscape and support the ecosystem.
Work on the TF-1 Motorway
The Cabildo de Tenerife, through the Department of Roads, has started a large-scale renovation and improvement project on the southern TF-1 motorway. This unprecedented intervention will enhance safety for the 70,000 drivers who travel daily on the stretch between Arico, Fasnia, and Güímar.
Rosa Dávila, President of the Cabildo de Tenerife, reported that this is the most significant road maintenance investment of the year, totaling 36 million euros. The project covers a 24-kilometer stretch, aimed at resurfacing the road. This effort is part of the broader plan to improve Tenerife’s road network.
The resurfacing work is being done at night to minimize traffic disruption, taking place from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. until Friday, November 15. During these hours, the central lanes in both directions will be closed between Arico and Güímar, with traffic diverted to the outer lanes functioning as slow lanes in both directions. Drivers are urged to exercise caution and follow the instructions of Roads Department personnel.
This renovation of the TF-1 is part of a broader package of 70 measures that the Cabildo de Tenerife is implementing to improve road safety and mobility on the island. Additionally, improvement work is underway on over 600 kilometers of Tenerife’s roads, with an investment of over one million euros focused on restoring road markings and enhancing visibility in areas that require extra attention due to wear and age.
Canarian Emergency Team in Valencia Carries Out Over 300 Interventions
The Canarian emergency team, deployed by the government of the Canary Islands to Valencia, has conducted 307 interventions in the Alfafar-Massanassa region since November 5.
Most interventions (62) involved pumping water and mud from homes, garages, shops, tunnels, and roads. Additionally, 56 cases of debris removal were completed, including clearing blocked doors, and the removal of items and vehicles, along with 20 search operations for missing persons on foot and by drone. The team has also conducted underwater search and rescue operations, restored basic supplies, and provided assistance to volunteers and residents as needed.
The team from the Canary Islands Emergency Medical Service (SUC) and the Canary Health Service (SCS) has provided approximately twenty treatments for minor injuries among team members. Masks, wound care supplies, and sanitizing gel were also provided to volunteers from northern Spain, with materials donated by local businesses and other safety services.
The Canarian team is the only one equipped with its own digital radio network (DMR), which facilitates communication and coordination between the various teams in sector 4. This digital radio system was made possible by a repeater antenna installed on the roof of Ikea Alfafar, where the Canarian delegation’s command center is located.
The Canarian emergency team, sent by the government of the Canary Islands, comprises firefighters from Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Fuerteventura; firefighters from La Oliva, Puerto del Rosario, and Pájara; the Emergency and Rescue Group (GES) and the Wildfire Intervention and Reinforcement Teams (EIRIF) of the Canarian government; and the Forest Fire Reinforcement Brigades (BRIFOR) of the Cabildo de Tenerife, along with a doctor and two nurses from the Canary Islands Emergency Medical Service and the Canary Health Service (SCS).
Arrest for Theft Worth 3,500 Euros at Tenerife South Airport
Officers of the Guardia Civil, from the Fiscal and Border Analysis and Investigation Unit (UDAIFF) at Tenerife Sur Airport, together with customs surveillance officials, have arrested a 66-year-old man suspected of eight tobacco thefts from stores within the airport.
Following a complaint, agents solved eight thefts in a shop at the airport. The suspect’s modus operandi involved buying a flexible ticket, printing a boarding pass, but not using it. This allowed him to change the date repeatedly to gain access to the airport’s shopping area.
The investigation, supported by surveillance footage and other observation techniques, revealed that the suspect stole cartons of cigarettes valued at 3,500 euros. The suspect has been transferred to the judicial authorities, who have issued a restraining order barring him from entering the commercial area of the airport.
These events and developments have a significant impact on life in Tenerife and highlight the range of challenges, developments, and opportunities the island faces. News from Tenerife #7 will continue.
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News from Tenerife #7 ©
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