Editor TLN
The Canary Islands fire, which started on Saturday, July 15, has advanced over 4,650 hectares, affecting the northwest of the Spanish island of La Palma. There are around 4,000 evacuees, of whom 200 spent the night in shelters set up, cared for by the Red Cross; and twenty affected buildings have been recorded, including homes, tool rooms or warehouses.
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The progress of the forest fire, which broke out yesterday on the Canary Island of La Palma (southern Spain), slowed down overnight due to a change in weather conditions and the deployment of a hundred emergency personnel, although it has already entered the limits of the Caldera de Taburiente National Park, where work is being done to prevent it from spreading.
As reported from the advanced command post by the President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, and the Minister of Tourism of Spain, Héctor Gómez, the number of evacuees continues at more than 4,000 residents and the affected area is around 4,650 hectares, mainly in the municipalities from Puntagorda and Tijarafe.
The fire originated around 01:00 Spanish time (GMT+2) on July 15, in the area of El Pinar, in the municipality of Puntagorda, and a few hours later its level of danger increased, affecting the municipality of Tijarafe, whose population center has been evacuated.
The wind spread the flames towards the summit, where aerial means cooled the area in the Crestería to prevent the advance towards the Caldera de Taburiente.
This Sunday nine helicopters and two seaplanes will take over in constant discharge routines to attack the main flanks of the fire and try to contain the flames, on which 152,000 liters of water have already been thrown in 241 discharges.
The wind blows from the northeast in the morning on the island, but the weather forecast points to a change to the northwest from three or four in the afternoon, which will lead to reinforcing the attack with aerial means to avoid pushing the fire towards the National Park.
The UME will reinforce its support with 86 more troops who are in flight and it was urged that no one approach the area of the fire and that the instructions of the authorities be followed at all times.
With EFE
