Firefighters in Tenerife are close to containing the blaze, but air quality is deteriorating

Emergency teams are battling to contain a six-day fire that has been raging in Tenerife’s forests.Authorities advise the public Stay home due to poor air quality. The fires have so far burned some 12,800 hectares of forest in the national park around Teide volcano, Spain’s tallest peak, forcing Thousands need to be evacuated their home.

Efforts to fight the blaze have been hampered by difficult terrain made up of canyons and steep cliffs, as well as a recently departed heat wave. extremely dry pine forest

“The worst is over”said the Canary Islands regional president, Fernando Clavijo, at the Cadena SER on Monday morning. “Today we will continue our efforts to consolidate the borders. We cannot talk about control yet, but we will see if we can stabilize all fronts,” he added.

A Steady fire with no active fronts The fire is allowed to advance freely, although it is not contained.

Emergency services advise residents close to fire areas, including the capital, to Santa Cruz, TenerifePlease close the windows and stay home.respected wear mask If they need to go outside, the air quality is “very unfavorable” due to the smoke.

Specifically, they show poor air quality Especially in the municipalities of Los Realejos, La Orotava and Arafo, and on the northern slopes of the municipalities of Los Realejos, El Sauzal, La Matanza de Acentejo, La Victoria de Acentejo, Santa Úrsula, La Orotava, Puerto de la Cruz, Los Reale Joss, Buenavista Norte, Los Silos, Garachico, Icod de los Vinos, La Guancha and San Juan de la Rambla.

The risk was declared because smoke from forest fires is composed of a mixture of gases and small particles emitted by the burning of vegetation and other materials that Affects sensitive groups and high-risk groups such as those with respiratory or heart conditions such as asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema, as well as children, pregnant women and the elderly.

The government’s acting president, Pedro Sanchez, visited the area on Monday morning to express his solidarity with those affected.

Sanchez said the next few hours will be critical and he hopes the weather will help so the fire can stabilize over the next few hours or days.

government declared a disaster area Sanchez added that this would allow the release of state aid. Authorities allowed some of the 12,000 people evacuated from the towns of Arafo and Candelaria to return home on Sunday, and the remaining evacuees may receive more good news on Monday, Clavijo said.

The emergency team has succeeded Preservation of the facilities at the Teide Observatory of the Canary Astronomical Instituteone of the most important observations in international astronomical observations.

The fire arrived in the national park yesterday and quickly spread near the Themis and Stella telescopes, the Canary Astronomical Institute (IAC) reported on Monday.