- The Cabildo Launches Its Largest Human and Technological Operation in Firefighting History
- The president of the Cabildo, Rosa Dávila, emphasises that “we are fortifying Tenerife with more resources, more technology, and maximum coordination to anticipate fires”
- The operation includes additional personnel, new brigades, drones, thermal cameras, and strategic reinforcement of Operation Prometeo alongside the Army.
- Enhancement of Mobile Units and Aerial Resources
- Innovation and Technology to Anticipate Fires
- Operation Prometeo: Strategic Reinforcement with the Army
The Cabildo Launches Its Largest Human and Technological Operation in Firefighting History
The president of the Cabildo, Rosa Dávila, emphasises that “we are fortifying Tenerife with more resources, more technology, and maximum coordination to anticipate fires”
The operation includes additional personnel, new brigades, drones, thermal cameras, and strategic reinforcement of Operation Prometeo alongside the Army.
The Cabildo of Tenerife has today unveiled its anti-fire campaign for the summer of 2026, an unprecedented operation that reinforces all human, technical, and logistical resources to prevent and address forest fires, establishing a model based on anticipation, innovation, and inter-administrative coordination.
This deployment is activated following the successful conclusion of the previous campaign, during which Tenerife implemented the largest logistical and technological operation in its history. This operation combined land and air resources, enabling an effective response to fire outbreaks during the risk period. President Rosa Dávila highlighted that “we have protected and defended our land like never before, with planning, investment, and determination.” She added that “the prevention and response to fires is a shared responsibility that demands we remain ever prepared.”
The 2026 operation represents a qualitative and quantitative leap. Dávila explained that there will be a significant reinforcement of internal resources, comprising over 760 personnel, including 216 members of BRIFOR (comprising technicians, prevention staff, and specialised brigades); 105 additional fire operation personnel; 176 volunteers, along with forest firefighters, the Fire Consortium, environmental agents, Civil Protection, etc. Key new features include the enhancement of Rapid Intervention Brigades (BRIVAM), which will increase in capacity and be strategically distributed across the island. The number of emergency management technicians will also rise from 8 to 11. Furthermore, GESPLAN will reinforce the operation with 105 additional professionals, operational brigades in various locations across the island, continuous monitoring 24 hours a day, and specialised technical staff.
Enhancement of Mobile Units and Aerial Resources
The deployment includes a total of 22 heavy forest fire engines with a capacity of 3,500 litres, 2 water tankers of 9,000 litres, 2 light forest fire engines of 1,800 litres, and 27 pick-up trucks of 450 litres, which are prepared to access rugged areas. By the end of the year, two additional light forest fire engines and 6 pick-up vehicles will be added, significantly renewing the wildfire intervention vehicle fleet. “These fire engines have marked a turning point in our intervention capabilities. They can access areas that were previously unreachable and allow rapid action in the early moments of a fire,” Dávila stressed. In addition to the new vehicles, the Cabildo will operate two helicopters throughout the year, each with a loading capacity of 1,000 litres (which made several passes during today’s presentation), along with 2 helicopters from the State and one from the Canary Islands Government.
The Counsellor for Security and Emergencies, Blanca Pérez, emphasised that the primary objective of the operation is to “prevent large forest fires, acting quickly and effectively from the outset to ensure that any outbreak does not escalate into a more significant emergency.” She explained that during periods of maximum alert, the “emergency mode” will be activated, with all personnel available and prepared to intervene immediately, particularly during episodes of high temperatures, when the risk of fires increases. She also highlighted the Cabildo’s efforts to reinforce the human and material resources dedicated to fire prevention and extinguishing, thanks to the coordinated work of various areas within the Corporation. The Counsellor underlined that the protection of natural spaces is a collective responsibility and expressed confidence that the robustness of the operation will allow us to face a new summer with maximum guarantees, relying on the best technology, resources, and highly qualified professionals.
José María Sánchez, a BRIFOR technician, was responsible for explaining the human and material resources available this year, highlighting that “the entire fire danger area, the seasonal weather zones, are covered with aerial resources deployed throughout the island.” He also noted the increase in on-duty firefighters at night.
Innovation and Technology to Anticipate Fires
The campaign introduces an advanced surveillance system with 14 drones, two of which are equipped with thermal and visual cameras, capable of detecting outbreaks in their early stages, even in low visibility conditions. A new feature is the implementation of a high-precision thermal camera at the Los Topos observation tower, which will enhance the detection of heat sources at long distances. “Innovation is key. We are investing in technology that allows us to anticipate fires and act with greater speed and efficiency,” the president emphasised. The Innovation Counsellor, Juan José Martínez, explained that the project involves an investment of nearly four million euros and will enable monitoring of up to 90% of the island’s forested area using a network of towers equipped with thermal and conventional vision cameras tailored to the island’s challenging geography. Martínez highlighted that this is an innovative and autonomous system, both in energy supply and connectivity, capable of continuing to operate even in emergency situations. It also incorporates artificial intelligence to identify potential fire hotspots and minimise the response times of intervention teams. Furthermore, he noted that the platform will also allow monitoring of volcanological, hydrological, and meteorological risks. The Councillor announced that the project will continue to expand in the coming years with the incorporation of data from the future Canarian satellite constellation.
Innovation technician David Pérez pointed out that the camera installed in the Los Topos tower, Vilaflor, is a key element of the Integrated Emergency Management System (SIGE), “a platform that multiplies its effectiveness when all its components share information and work in a coordinated manner.” He noted that the integration of tools such as the future sensor network, CIVIFORM, and surveillance nodes significantly enhances the capacity for prevention and response to emergencies. He explained that this tower, standing 25 metres high, is powered by solar energy, backed by systems and resilient communications that ensure uninterrupted operation 24 hours a day.
Operation Prometeo: Strategic Reinforcement with the Army
The operation is bolstered by the new edition of Operation Prometeo – Sentinel Tenerife, a result of the agreement between the Cabildo and the Ministry of Defence, led by Margarita Robles. This deployment will provide land patrols in high-risk areas until 30 September, particularly in urban-forest interface zones. A total of 10 daily patrols will be deployed, reorganised to cover the southern midlands, where the highest risk is expected. Operation Prometeo has already demonstrated its efficacy in previous campaigns; this time, it will include nearly 3,000 troop and command days, with the addition of military drones as a new feature. “Where the Army is present, fires reduce. This operation saves lives, protects our environment, and provides reassurance to citizens,” stated Dávila. “Joint effort and community collaboration are crucial. We cannot do it alone. Prevention starts with every daily action,” the president reminded. “The best fire is the one that never occurs,” concluded Dávila.
The press conference was held at the location of the Los Topos tower in Vilaflor, one of the areas of high ecological value, attended by Pedro Millán, the Insular Director of Natural Environment; Iván Martín, the Insular Director of Security and Emergencies; Pedro Martínez, Head of the Fire Extinction Service; Alfonso Pardo de Santayana, General Chief of the General Staff of the Canary Islands Command; Alberto Cherino, Colonel Chief of the Technical Secretariat of the Canary Islands Command; Joaquín Cabrera, Deputy Mayor of Vilaflor; Arturo González, Mayor of San Miguel de Abona; and José Domingo Regalado, Mayor of Granadilla de Abona, along with councillors and members of the various bodies involved in this operation.
