As Tenerife is ravaged by wildfires, is the popular holiday destination safe to travel to?
Wildfires in Tenerife are spreading across the popular Spanish holiday island, so is it currently safe to travel there?
Around 150 firefighters, 50 military personnel and 10 helicopters are battling the latest blaze, and authorities say that highly flammable pine trees in the area could cause the fires to escalate towards tourist hotspots on the Canary Island.
These include Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Puerto de la Cruz.
Five villages have been evacuated so far – Arrate, Chivisaya, Media Montaña, Ajafoña and Las Lagunetas – and further measures are expected to be taken today.
The fires follow the devastating, deadly outbreaks in Hawaii and across Europe.
So if you’re due to travel to Tenerife, or planning on booking a trip, is the island safe to visit?
Here is what you need to know.
Is Tenerife safe to visit?
The Foreign Office is not currently advising against trips to Tenerife, so flights and holidays are generally continuing as planned.
However, this can change at any time so it’s important to monitor the Foreign Office advice and if you are booked to travel to the region affected by the wildfires, check with your hotel/accommodation or tour operator.
The current Foreign Office advice is: ‘Forest fires occur frequently in Spain (including in the Spanish islands) during the summer months, when temperatures regularly reach over 40ºC. Be aware of your environment when visiting or driving through woodland areas.
‘Causing a forest fire 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.’
During the past week, the Canary Islands have been hit by a heatwave with temperatures up to 35C, leaving many areas bone dry and increasing the risk of wildfires, emergency services warned.
Can I get a refund?
If you choose not to travel to Tenerife because of the wildfires, it’s very unlikely you’ll get a refund.
Most insurance policy claims will only pay out on a trip cancellation under certain circumstances, such as illness, a family bereavement or an exceptionally long delay in travel.
Likewise, airlines are not under any obligation to refund you if you cancel a trip due to factors beyond their control.
However, if you have a pre-existing medical condition which would be impacted by the fires, it’s possible your travel insurance could cover this.
That said, if your chosen destination is updated with a ‘do not travel’ warning, then you may well be able to claim a refund under your insurance.
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