The President of the Canary Islands, Ángel Víctor Torres, convened a meeting this Sunday afternoon with the Government Delegate in the Canary Islands, Anselmo Pestana, the Executive's Transport Minister, Sebastián Franquis, the Director of the Aena Canary Islands Airport Group, Mario Otero Andión, and the Regional Director of Enaire, Manuel Arrabal, as well as heads of the Civil Guard and technical personnel from 112, Health and Education of the Government of the Canary Islands to analyze the circumstances arising from the active weather alerts in the Canary Islands.
After the meeting, the head of the Executive recalled that we continue to be under the influence of four phenomena - winds, haze, coastal phenomena and risk of forest fires - which forced us to decree first the pre-alert and then the alert in the case of strong winds and haze, so all the mechanisms required by the protocol have been activated, he said.
He also sent a reassuring message because the fires active in Gran Canaria (with two municipalities affected) and in Tenerife (affecting six municipalities) are evolving, for the moment, favorably and that has led the respective councils to maintain Level 1. "It is not expected to rise to Level 2, according to conversations I have had with the two presidents of the councils, but in any case all the necessary personnel will be available," he said. The president highlighted the coordination of all administrations, highlighting the deployment in Gran Canaria of 90 soldiers from the UME of the Canary Islands and 100 members of the Civil Guard; and in Tenerife and 50 members of the UME and 100 agents of the Civil Guard, in addition to firefighters, Civil Protection personnel and Local Police.
Although the air resources have not been able to work due to the strong wind, the head of the Executive explained that the air operations of all the islands have been prepared and highlighted the willingness of the Government of Spain to transfer to the Islands several Kamov helicopters and seaplanes, which have been prevented after the conversations held by the Canarian president with the competent ministers.
Regarding the impact on connectivity, the head of the Executive clarified that "the airspace of the Canary Islands has not been closed at any time." The airports of Tenerife and Gran Canaria have been inoperative since mid-morning, although the one in Gran Canaria has resumed operations this afternoon-night, -the news arrived in the middle of his press conference- and that the rest of the airports have operated, although with restrictions. This has meant that 230 flights were affected this Saturday and a total of 360 operations affected this Sunday - either by diversions or cancellations.
The President of the Canary Islands also informed that 112 has registered more than 900 incidents, but none of them serious, and positively assessed that classes have been suspended at all levels, also in both Universities, as a measure to prevent risks to health and safety.
Given the intensity of these meteorological phenomena, the president assured that "climate change is a reality, the dryness is very high and precautions must be taken".
Regarding the situation of possible effects of haze on the population, at the moment none of the hospital emergency rooms are registering an anomalous situation, although it is true that respiratory problems usually take several days (48 hours) to appear. The Canarian Health Service has activated reinforcement measures together with the hospital managements.
Ángel Víctor Torres stressed that the Canary Islands has "great" professionals and that there is no serious personal injury to regret. The President of the Canary Islands ended his presentation by asking, once again, the population to follow the recommendations of public bodies and security and emergency services.
