Improvements For Tenerife Wildfire Containment Begin

The wildfires across Tenerife have seen a great reduction and level of control from local authorities this week, with many residents potentially able to return to their homes that were previously affected. 

The decision over whether some residents of Tenerife might be allowed to return to affected areas has been reportedly put into discussion and could be made within hours, allowing people to return to their homes after wildfires have been safely removed from select areas.  

An updating statement was released this week by the Tenerife Tourism Corporation that claimed their efforts to fight the wildfires had taken a positive turn as of Sunday the 20th of August and the improvement has “enabled an improved outlook, albeit without underplaying the seriousness of the current situation”.  

According to the report, 275 fire-fighters have successfully moved the wildfires in select areas away from a boundary zone between the urban areas and the woodlands “and a decision will be taken in the coming hours regarding whether to allow certain residents of La Esperanza, El Rosario and Arafo to return home”. 

Some roads and access routes remain closed during this time, specifically leading into the mountains and towards the Teide National Park across the island of Tenerife. The statement clarified that the situation “remains entirely normal” across major cities and tourist spots. 

“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 fire-fighters,” the corporation said. 

“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. 

“The local population and tourists continue to go about daily life without incident, both in the metropolitan area (including Santa Cruz and La Laguna) and in Arona or Adeje, including Santiago del Teide, Guía de Isora, San Miguel de Abona and Puerto de la Cruz.  

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

“All 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.” 

The tourism group also expressed its gratitude to locals and tourists alike who remained calm and well-instructed throughout the situation. “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.” 

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