On Thursday, Rosa Dávila, the President of the Island Council, released an initial evaluation of the extensive damage wrought by the Tenerife wildfire, which has been alight since 15th August. The blaze, now stabilised, has scorched almost 15,000 hectares, stretching across a 90-kilometre perimeter and affecting 12 municipalities. The financial toll of the devastation is calculated to be approximately €80.4 million.
Dávila mentioned that the Cabinet is likely to officially designate Tenerife as a ‘catastrophe zone’ come Friday. She clarified that the staggering €80.4 million estimate only accounts for damage related to the island’s infrastructure, specifically roads and hydraulic structures, as well as the impact on the Teide National Park’s regeneration. The primary sector, particularly agriculture and livestock farming, is among the most adversely affected by the fire.
The Island Corporation has been vigorously working on this preliminary assessment in order to forward it to the Spanish Government, facilitating the process for declaring Tenerife a ‘catastrophic zone’. Dávila stressed the severity of the fire’s impact on protected natural areas, including Teide National Park and the forest crown, as well as the broader implications for agriculture and livestock farming.
The fire, described by Dávila as “the most significant in the Canary Islands over the past four decades,” has substantially disrupted the lives of those engaged in agriculture and livestock farming, affecting essential elements like irrigation systems. The president expressed her expectation for a swift response from the Spanish Government, as indicated earlier by President Sánchez.
