The Brifor Tenerife Forestry Brigade firefighters and technicians have continued this week to work on concluding the Arico forest fire, which has continued to burn despite having been declared under controlled since Monday, May 24. The Tenerife forestry brigade are focused on smothering the tree stumps and pine trees that are still burning and smouldering within the perimeter of the burn zone.

 

The Cabildo de Tenerife Twitter account, have published a series of images showing the difficulties of these tasks, both due to the mountain terrain and the the physical fight against smoke and soot. “Slow and very hard work” they confess.

The fire that started on Friday, May 21, in the Chajaña ravine (Arico) affected some 3,000 hectares of pine forest in just four days, even entering the Teide National Park. The fire quickly moved to alert level 2, under the supervision of the Regional Government, with the Spanish Air Force contributing three amphibious aircraft, more than 300 firefighters and other professionals from across the Canary Islands.