Cabildo de Gran Canaria Councillor for the Setting, Inés Jiménez, factors out that a lot of the forest fires declared on this island have their origins in human negligence, therefore the significance of “excessive precautions and avoiding any exercise that will contain threat for our mountains”, she mentioned in an announcement. “One of the best pal of fires, along with forest gas and climate situations, is fake confidence, the idea that all the pieces is underneath management and that what’s being carried out is understood about, regardless of the warnings,” Jiménez made clear.
When a Excessive-Threat Forest Fireplace Alert is said, which often coincides with warmth waves, robust winds, or Calima, it won’t be doable to make use of the tenting space at Llanos de la Mimbre or the Leisure Space Tamadaba (each within the municipality of Agaete), and the GC-216 round highway route by way of the realm might be closed, besides use by residents and public providers. In the identical approach, entry and transit on forest trails and tracks are additionally prohibited.
Though fires, usually, within the mountains are completely prohibited always and in any circumstances, at occasions of excessive threat of fireplace, that’s, from July 1 to September 30, barbecues can nonetheless be used within the leisure areas which can be scattered throughout the island, and in tenting areas with barbecues akin to Presa de las Niñas, Llanos de la Pez and Corral de los Juncos. These are at all times in brick barbecues and in kitchens utilizing gasoline cylinders of lower than 13 kilos, in wide-open locations, the place scrub clearing and tree pruning are carried out day by day, and are thought-about protected areas. Using these barbecues and moveable kitchens is prohibited, nevertheless, when an alert is said.
Any equipment that generates sparks, akin to radial saws and welding gear and, to a lesser extent, chainsaws and brush cutters, can be utilized in summer time however at all times with a sequence of situations. Because the grass is dry, any spark may causes a hearth very simply, so within the locations the place you’re employed there must be no vegetation or flamable materials. In the identical approach, with brush cutters, it’s advisable to make use of a line head and have a hearth extinguisher or hose close by. In any case, when a Forest Fireplace Excessive-Threat Alert is particularly declared, they’re additionally completely prohibited.
Regardless of having a big and extremely specialised crew of fireplace crews, forest fires are very troublesome to keep away from fully, however they are often prevented in order that the injury or unfold of fireplace is as little as doable.
With virtually half of its space thought-about a zone with a excessive threat of fireplace, particularly 41% of the island, Gran Canaria has suffered eight main forest fires because the yr 2000. The most important one, in 2007, burned an space of greater than 18,000 hectares. The summer time fires of 2019 burned some 10,000 hectares of land and compelled the evacuation of practically 10,000 folks.
