In the main tourist and residential parts of the island, away from the area affected by the fire, everyday life prevails.
A major technical and personnel deployment comprising 17 airborne devices and 260 staff on the ground continued their efforts to control the fire, which has been affecting the island of Tenerife since the night of Tuesday, 15 August. The fire broke out on the wooded slopes of the island, away from the main tourist and residential centres, where daily life continues as normal.
Fires Mainly in Mountainous Woodland Area
The blaze has so far affected somewhat more than 3,000 hectares. It is concentrated in the municipalities of Arafo, Candelaria, El Rosario, La Orotava, Santa Úrsula, La Victoria, El Sauzal and Tacoronte, where 3,800 people have been evacuated as a precaution, while another 3,800 are sheltering in a designated area of La Esperanza in El Rosario, to minimise their exposure to smoke and ash. The fire has not caused any personal injury, thanks to the efforts of the firefighters deployed, with efforts being perfectly coordinated by the Island Council of Tenerife, the Regional Government of the Canaries, and the Spanish Government.
The area affected by the fire is equivalent to 1.6% of the island’s territory, 52% of which has protected status, while residential and tourist areas make up 23%. This percentage includes tourist infrastructure such as resorts and accommodation, as well as tourist attractions, accounting for 5%, almost entirely concentrated in the areas closest to the coast, while the woodland area suffering the effects of the fire is on the upper slopes of the island, around the Teide National Park.
Similarly, ports and airports continue to operate normally, as do the main roads on the island, except in the hillside areas, where access to the Teide National Park has been cut off from the rest of the island.
The island of Tenerife, with a population of nearly one million people, has the experience to deal with situations requiring the safety of these inhabitants to be guaranteed, along with the thousands of tourists who visit the island, where some 160,000 are accommodated on any given day. This has been the case throughout its decades of history as a tourist destination, as seen for example in the first hotel to be locked down because of Covid-19 in 2020, a recognised success story.
Life as Normal in the Main Tourist Areas
From Turismo de Tenerife, life is as normal in the main tourist areas and cities along the coast. Whether in resorts, hotels, on the beaches and other tourist attractions in Arona, Adeje, Santiago del Teide, Guía de Isora, San Miguel de Abona, Puerto de la Cruz or the Metropolitan Area, which includes Santa Cruz de Tenerife and La Laguna, visitors can check out webcams:
- Playa de las Vistas, Los Cristianos, Arona: Tenerife Webcams: Live images of beaches, ports and more (webtenerife.com)
- Playa de Troya, Las Américas, Adeje: Tenerife Webcams: Live images of beaches, ports and more (webtenerife.com)
- Lago Martíanez, Puerto de la Cruz: Tenerife Webcams: Live images of beaches, ports and more (webtenerife.com)
- Santa Cruz de Tenerife: Tenerife Webcams: Live images of beaches, ports and more (webtenerife.com)
Advice for Travellers
In any case, and as long as this situation continues, Turismo de Tenerife asks visitors to take extreme precautions, follow the safety recommendations and find out about the evolution of the fire in the official communication channels of the Government of the Canary Islands and the Cabildo de Tenerife. Here are some useful links:
- News portal of the Government of the Canary Islands .
- 1-1-2 Canaries .
- Council of Tenerife .
- Road information center of the Cabildo de Tenerife.
In addition, a telephone number for the Island’s Network of Tourist Information Offices has been set up to answer requests for information from visitors in Spanish and English: (+34) 922 255433. Opening hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. ( local time).
