These are the serious consequences of the Tenerife fire for biodiversity.

Fire closer to strictly controlledand actually dropped to level one as determined by the emergency coordinating committee. In an area that is very difficult to reach by land, only a small active part remains.

If the current weather conditions continue, this area will be cooled by air in the coming days, when it is expected to switch to the controlled phase.

Fire according to SEO/BirdLife Areas of high ecological value included in the Natura 2000 NetworkSpecial Conservation Area for Birds (ZEPA) Montes y Cumbre de Tenerife; Other areas within the Canary Network of Protected Areas, such as the Corona Forestal natural park and the protected landscape of Campeches, Tigaiga and Ruiz; Besides entering the southern part of La Fortaleza in Teide National Park; The Important Area for the Conservation of Birds and Biodiversity (IBA) has arrived in Ladera de Tigaiga.

Based on SEO/BirdLife ratingthe most affected part is the front of the slope of Tigaiga and Chanajiga.While in the area where the fire was trying to enter Teide National Park, it was stopped when it reached the high mountain brush area in transition with pine forest and progress there is very slow.

Emergency prevention measures

Despite everything seems to have affected some canary cedarsin an industry of high ecological value. Birds of forest environments are affectedmany from Canary pine forests, for example great spotted woodpecker and Hawkwith both endemic subspecies and, above all, tenerife blue finch, who are in the final stages of the breeding period that feeds offspring.

In addition, the most recent evolution included areas of green forest and mixed pine forest, the habitat of these two was excellent. endemic pigeons, cataloged as turqué ‘Nearly threatened’ and rabiche ‘Vulnerable’, According to the Red Book of Birds of Spain, along with many other forest birds, canary tit, canary chiffchaff, simple wren or common finch. In the Red Book, forest fires appear as one of the main threats to many of these bird species.

Considering the wave of fires across Spain, SEO/BirdLife is a special appeal to those responsible for the administration of the areaautonomous communities, support services of the Government of Spain and councils and city councils, to implement emergency prevention measures adapted to the new climate reality.

Climate change is prolonging the period when the risk of fire becomes critical due to high temperatures, droughts, storms and winds.

NGO shows that It is necessary to adapt policies and resources to develop preventive tasks that prevent fires from occurring, and if they do, fires should not develop so violently..

Restore burned areas

Well preserved and natural area proper management throughout the year is the key prevent and minimize the worst destruction of fireand it may be necessary to deal with large fires called sixth generation fires.

Also, according to SEO/BirdLife, in the face of a disaster of these features, Necessary measures and procedures for the restoration of the burned areas to be carried out as soon as possibleto guarantee the necessary economic and human resources.

Tenerife’s blue finch (Fringilla Teydea Teydea) is an endemic subspecies of the Canary Islands. It inhabits mainly native and cultivated forest masses of Canarian pine as well as repopulations of introduced Monterey pine. It feeds on pine nuts and supplements its diet in the spring and feeds insects to the chicks.

The main problem for blue finch populations is loss of canary pine forests. One of the biggest attacks they’ve ever faced, illegal capture and trade. The Civil Guard has confiscated several specimens intended to be illegally removed from the island of Tenerife in recent years.

Red Book of Birds of Spain: https://seo.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/LIbro-Rojo-web-3_01.pdf