In the Canary Islands, authorities monitored a forest fire that began at dawn on a Saturday in the El Pinar area of Puntagorda, Palma. Residents were urged to follow official channel updates and to cooperate with evacuation efforts as directed by authorities. The emphasis remained on staying informed through trusted sources as winds and weather conditions evolved, guiding the firefighting strategy and safety advisories for nearby communities.
Throughout the day, a total of 11 aerial resources were deployed to combat the fire, including a FOCA seaplane that arrived from Malaga in the afternoon and successfully conducted initial land landings in the affected sectors. A second FOCA seaplane was scheduled to take off, heading to Gando airbase to join the operation the following morning. This expansion of aerial support underscored the seriousness of the incident and the need for rapid containment across multiple fronts.
To date, authorities reported the evacuation of 4,255 residents from the municipalities of Tijarafe and Puntagorda, with more than a hundred people currently sheltered in secure facilities. The Red Cross assisted these displaced individuals, while the municipal pavilion in Los Llanos served as a primary shelter for many. Evacuation routes covered the upper stretch of LP-1 from the Fayal area to the Time Tower and the lower stretch from Fayal to Barranco de Jurado, encompassing the towns of Tijarafe, Hacienda del Cura, the Roque de Los Muchachos facilities, and the wider Puntagorda municipality. The affected perimeter, as mapped by NASA satellite data, spans approximately 4,675 hectares, illustrating the scale of the response and the communities involved. (Source: Canary Islands Emergency Services)
A 400-person firefighting force
The regional president noted that, by afternoon, the fire’s progression had slowed but remained uncontained in several zones. Attention focused on the dedicated unit of 400 firefighters and support personnel who had been on duty since the early hours of Saturday, working tirelessly to extinguish flames. Officials stressed that, while temperatures had cooled and humidity rose, wind forecasts kept some uncertainty about the fire’s behavior. The meteorological outlook suggested favorable conditions for suppression, yet crews and ground teams would continue ongoing operations overnight to secure the affected areas and prevent rekindling. (Source: Canary Islands Emergency Services)