The Government of the Canary Islands has declared a pre-alert for the risk of forest fires on the islands of Gran Canaria, Tenerife, El Hierro, La Palma, and La Gomera, starting at 9:00am tomorrow (Wednesday). This is the first time ever that one has been declared in January anywhere in the archipelago.
The met office forecast shows the arrival of dry and warm Saharan air with unusually high temperatures for this time of the year, relative humidity below 30% in forest areas, and moderate east to southeast winds with strong gusts between 60 and 90 km/h.
Due to these conditions, there is a “moderate risk” of a major forest fire according to the GIF index of the Government of the Canary Islands, and a variable risk of forest fire ranging from moderate to extreme according to the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET).
Taking this information into account, the Canary Islands Government recommends that the population take all possible precautions to avoid the breakout of fire. Examples include never throwing lit cigarette butts or matches and avoiding leaving waste in the mountains, particularly anything that can cause a fire to start such as glass objects.
Furthermore, camping should never be done outside designated areas, especially in remote areas with limited access. In the event of seeing smoke in a mountainous area, it is necessary to immediately call 1-1-2 to report what is happening and provide the most accurate location possible of where it is being observed.
It is essential to follow the limitations set by different councils and municipalities, both regarding access to forested areas and the activities that should be avoided in these areas until this pre-alert risk situation is over.
