The UK Foreign Office has issued a “pre-alert” over concerns that a perfect storm of weather conditions could lead to an infernal blaze tearing through the Canary Islands
Tourists staying in top British holiday destinations are being warned of looming forest fires that could torch the islands in a matter of days.
A “pre-alert” situation has been announced by the UK Foreign Office due to the heightened possibility of “abnormally high temperatures” and “dry, warm air”, which would create the ideal conditions for an infernal blaze to tear through the Canary Islands.
Aemet, Spain’s national weather forecaster, covered huge swathes of Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, and Lanzarote with “extreme” red warnings for wildfires. And by Saturday, these warnings will cover larger sections of Fuerteventura and Lanzarote – islands that are incredibly popular for Brits looking to catch a spot of winter sun.
Southern Tenerife and Gran Canaria will remain under extreme alerts, with the risk lowered by Sunday in most islands, apart from Tenerife and Fuerteventura, where the red alert will still remain.
On Monday, all islands will be at minimal risk, apart from a small area in southern Tenerife, which will still be red. It seems as though the risks have been known about for some time, after the Canary Islands govenment declared a pre-alert on Wednesday, November 27 – a decision made after consulting Aemet and the Special Plan for Civil Protection and Emergency Response for Forest Fires of the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands (INFOCA).
It warned that the areas most at risk are those above 1,000m in Tenerife and Gran Canaria in the northern half of the islands, and those above 400m in the south of the island, reports the Manchester Evening News. People are urged to follow the government’s guidance, which includes not leaving rubbish within forests and taking care when disposing of lit cigarette butts and matches.
In its guidance for Spain, the UK Foreign Office says the following regarding wildfires: “Causing a wildfire is a criminal offence in Spain, even if unintentional. Make sure cigarette ends are properly extinguished, do not light barbecues and do not leave empty bottles behind. You can be heavily fined for not following the rules against lighting outdoor barbecues in forest areas. Make sure you know the rules if considering a barbeque.”
It adds: “Immediately report any fire you see to the emergency services on 112. In the case of wildfires, the situation can change quickly, so you should stay up to date with official advice.”