Here is an advisory press release issued by the Tenerife Cabildo on Wednesday 11 August:
As of today the Island Corporation’s ban includes no lighting of fires of any kind in recreation and BBQ areas; a ban on fireworks; no burning vegetation and leftovers from tree cutting and plant clippings; no bonfires of any kind as well as the use in farmland or wooded areas of any type of equipment which could give off sparks such as weeding machines, burners for bee keepers or soldering equipment etc.
The Cabildo has confirmed that the ban will not be officially lifted until the weather cools down and the extreme risk of forest and wild fires is reduced.
As part of the Cabildo de Tenerife’s safety measures for forest fire and wild fire prevention, all visitors and residents on the island are strongly urged NOT to go up into the hills and woods over the next few days until the situation improves. The Island Corporation kindly request that drivers use only the tarmacked roads and avoid forest tracks whenever possible. Holidaymakers and residents are strongly recommended to take extra precautions when visiting the mountains.
Wouldn’t you think smoking cigarettes would be mentioned too?
When we were at the Dia de la Trilla last year I spotted people flinging their ciggie butts even though there was a helicopter dropping water on a forest fire in the next valley!
There was a report carried out a couple of years ago into the causes of forest fires around Europe and in many countries humans were the cause of 99% of them.