Tenerife Invests €2 Million to Boost Road Safety and Fire Resilience in Teno Rural Park

The Tenerife Island Council is prioritizing safety in Teno Rural Park with a new investment of over two million euros to improve the resilience of its road network. The project introduces a permanent maintenance service covering nearly 45 kilometers of roads and rural paths across Buenavista del Norte, Los Silos, and El Tanque.

Co-financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), this initiative goes beyond routine tasks like paving, drainage cleaning, and vegetation control. It establishes a priority action plan for critical routes, including the roads to Teno Alto, Los Carrizales, and the stretch between Las Portelas and Masca. Officials emphasize that keeping these routes open is vital for the local agricultural sector, tourism, and the ability to respond to environmental emergencies.

The project will deploy two permanent maintenance crews and an on-call emergency team. This move follows recent challenges, such as difficulties faced by firefighting teams during a small fire in Masca, which highlighted the area's vulnerability. Consequently, the Council is also introducing a traffic restriction system. This will allow the Natural Environment and Security departments to limit access to the park during forest fire alerts, ensuring that emergency services can operate and residents can evacuate safely.

The two-year contract, which may be extended, marks a shift from occasional repairs to constant, preventive maintenance. By combining road upkeep with the maintenance of firebreaks—such as the one at Monte del Agua—the Council aims to better protect the park while ensuring the safety of residents and visitors in this challenging landscape.