The aircraft continues its work on the upper side of the forest fire, focusing on preventing the blaze from advancing toward La Palma and the Caldera de Taburiente, as reported by government authorities in the Canary Islands.
For the entire day, a total of eleven air units are deployed to support firefighting operations. Among them is a FOCA seaplane that arrived from Malaga on Saturday afternoon and conducted initial water drops in the affected zones.
A second FOCA seaplane also reached the airbase in Gando, contributing to the aerial effort this morning and again today.
the rest of the resources
Ground crews have been active since Saturday, working to suppress the fire with support from the La Palma town hall, the Ministry, EIRIF of the Government of the Canary Islands, La Palma Firefighters, the Canary Islands Emergency Service SUC, the Canary Islands General Police Service, the Civil Guard, Local Police, the Red Cross, and the Tenerife Fire Brigade Consortium.
Volunteer groups from the Canary Islands Police General Corps, the Red Cross, the Military Emergency Unit, and the Land Unit and Advanced Command Center of the Canary Islands Government Emergency and Rescue Group, along with the island’s Civil Protection, are also contributing, among others.
Additionally, members of the Fuerteventura Emergency Consortium and Lanzarote have joined the effort this Sunday to reinforce the response.
Officials coordinating the bushfire response that began at dawn on Saturday in the Puntagorda area on La Palma decided to maintain evacuations for the time being. About 4,255 residents from Tijarafe and Puntagorda were evacuated as a precaution, with roughly 200 people placed in shelters.
As of the latest update, the flames have scorched approximately 4,650 hectares and damaged about 20 buildings.
Tijarafe based operations
Destruction efforts in Tijarafe intensified in the past hours to prevent the fire from reaching homes and the lower regions of Puntagorda. Once the situation stabilizes, teams are working to ensure the Izcagua mountain pass remains secure from the northern sector’s exposure.
This Sunday, all extinguishing and containment missions focused on keeping the fire from crossing El Fayal and the Izcagua Ravine toward Garafía. The priority is to minimize the impact on residential areas. Night operations aim to seal the right flank and, on the left flank, to hold the line before northwest and eastern winds could drive the fire toward Garafía and threaten the Caldera discharge further down the slope.
protected animals
A total of 71 domestic and farm animals are safeguarded across multiple locations on La Palma. This measure comes as a warning to residents about the fire affecting Puntagorda and Tijarafe since the early hours of Saturday morning.
La Palma Cabildo has reported that the Severo Rodríguez Estate in Los Llanos de Aridane houses 37 animals, while 34 animals are currently sheltered at the Los Canales spring within the El Paso municipality.