The Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Héctor Gómez, appeared this morning, together with the President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, and the President of La Palma, Sergio Rodríguez, at the Advanced Command Post of the island of La Palma to report on the evolution of the fire that originated in the early hours of this Saturday in the municipality of Puntagorda, in La Palma, and that has already affected some 4675 hectares.
Minister Héctor Gómez has highlighted the extraordinary coordination of the operation he has been working on since the fire originated. “At this moment we already have all the means, including the two hydroplanes that traveled yesterday from Malaga, and they are going to operate throughout the day today. From the trust placed in all the teams that are being used here, I must highlight the coordination between the Government of the Canary Islands and the different ministries.”
“The drop in temperature, together with the fact that the humidity has risen and the wind has not been so strong, has allowed the operation to work and has favored the work of extinction,” said Clavijo.
After the press conference, Minister Héctor Gómez traveled with the government delegate in the Canary Islands, Anselmo Pestana, and the president of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, to the shelters that have been set up to accommodate people who have been evicted in Los Llanos.
In total, the regional government has made six reception centres available, and public representatives have visited the Severo Rodríguez Pavilion and the Princess Acerina College. There they have been able to talk to the volunteers and specialists of the Red Cross who are attending to those affected on a material and psychological level.
“When the objective is common, as in this case saving lives and ending the fire as soon as possible, the important thing is political unity,” said Héctor Gómez, who has coordinated from the field the communication with the ministries for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, Interior, Defense and Presidency. For his part, the President of the Canary Islands has also thanked the resources and support provided by the Government of Spain, and the encouragement of Pedro Sánchez and S.M. King Felipe VI, who have personally contacted him to convey all the solidarity, especially for the citizens of La Palma.
State and Autonomous Media at the disposal of La Palma
The Government of Spain, through three ministries, has made 408 troops available to the Government of the Canary Islands. The Ministry of Defense has mobilized more than 200 troops and 48 vehicles from the Military Emergency Unit. For its part, the Ministry of Ecological Transition has deployed four air mediums and one ground equipment, and the Ministry of the Interior has deployed more than 200 Civil Guard agents.
The General Directorate of Civil Protection and Emergencies has requested the activation of the Copernicus system for monitoring the fire, and highlights that the ES-Alert system has also been used for the eviction of the 4,255 evacuees, according to the census. 200 people remain in shelters enabled and coordinated by the Red Cross.
AGE Means
- UME:
118 troops.
48 vehicles.
- MITECO:
Air Media
1 MIKE from TENERIFE SOUTH. AIRPORT
1 Tango de La Gomera (S.C Tenerife).
2 Seal of Malaga.
Terrestrial media
1 BRIF-A by PUNTA GORDA (LA PALMA)
- Civil Guard
6 Citizen security patrols12 personnel.
2 SEPRONA patrols, 5 troops.
1 Traffic Patrol, 3 troops.
6 Officers.
1 MIR of GRS, 20 troops.
4 UOPJ: Judicial Police, 4 officers.
4 COS: Coordination.
4 Members of the GREIM Mountain Service.
1 Helicopter for media coordination.
This device has been joined by the terrestrial media and firefighters of the Cabildo de La Palma, the Canary Islands Emergency Service, 7 Retainers of Intervention Equipment and Reinforcement of Forest Fires (EIRIF) with 63 participants, 14 Forest Firefighters of the Cabildo de Tenerife, 14 Consorcio de Gran Canaria Firefighters, 3 Cabildo de Gran Canaria analysts, 3 helicopters of the Government of Canaria, a Cabildo de Tenerife helicopter, a Cabildo de Gran Canaria helicopter and a Roja.