Tenerife Fire Prevention Strategy Stalled by Hiring Delays

Tenerife’s forest fire prevention strategy is under scrutiny after the Socialist Group in the Island Council raised concerns over a missing team of 100 seasonal workers. The group warns that this reinforcement, originally scheduled to begin on April 6, remains stalled, leaving the island vulnerable ahead of the summer fire season.

The delay stems from a halt in hiring through the public company Gesplan. Councilor Javier Rodríguez Medina explained that the administrative freeze is a direct result of a recent Supreme Court ruling, which has disrupted standard operations and created legal and employment uncertainty for workers who had already been notified to start their roles.

This delay is significant because the reinforcement team is vital to the island's fire safety strategy. While permanent staff work year-round, these additional workers are responsible for essential preventive tasks, such as clearing biomass and vegetation from mountain areas. These efforts are the primary way to reduce fire intensity before hot summer weather increases the risk of wildfires.

The situation highlights the challenges of managing environmental emergency resources, particularly the need for coordination between management and the Comptroller’s Office. The current administrative deadlock has prevented the timely deployment of staff who, in previous years, would have already finished clearing land. This uncertainty now leaves both the workers in limbo and the island’s forest maintenance work at risk.