The Canary Islands Government have this afternoon declared an Alert for a Risk of Forest Fire on the Islands of Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro and Gran Canaria from 00:00 hours on Friday, August 16.
As ironic as it may seem following the events on Gran Canaria over the last few days, at this time of year wild fires can start anywhere, and so it is quite usual when heat waves approach, as is the case this weekend, for a Risk Alert to be declared, to keep everyone vigilant…
This decision takes into account information made available and based on the Special Plan for Civil Protection and Emergency Response to Canarian Forest Fires INFOCA.
An episode of high temperatures is about to arrive, a heat wave from southeast, with probable maximum temperatures in the shade of 34º and up to 42º C in mid-altitude and high areas. There will also be relative humidity of less than 30%, which means extra care will be required.
Yellow heat warning
The Spanish State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) issued a yellow advisory warning for high temperatures from this Thursday, August 15 on Gran Canaria that could exceed 34ºC in the shade at the summit, and on the east, south and west of the Island.
AEMET will activate the yellow advisory from 10 am to 6 pm on Thursday, for now.
The notice looks likely to be extended into Friday, August 16, across the whole of Gran Canaria , from 10.00 to 19.00 with temperatures that look set to even exceed 36º.
AEMET has also declared similar advisories for high temperatures on Friday on Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Tenerife and west of La Palma.
With a long ‘puente’ weekend ahead, due to the national holiday on Thursday, you can expect the south to be pretty full this weekend, and hot hot hot, with highs in the shade of 40º+ certainly possible. As we reach into next week the winds will start to shift round to blow from the south, hopefully bringing some cooler air, and perhaps, if we are lucky, a very welcome drop of rain…
