21 Jul La Palma Reconstruction – April 2026
La Palma’s Reconstruction: April 2026 Update
News roundup from across La Palma regarding science occurring in La Palma, reconstruction efforts, aid provided to residents and industries, and other relevant news. Links to source articles are hyperlinked in taglines for each article.
Sources for all reconstruction updates: La Palma Ahora, Cabildo de La Palma, El Time, ABC España, El Valle de Aridane, El Dia, Mirame, Planeta Canario, Canarias 7, El Diario, National Geographic, El Pais, El Apurón, Diario La Palma
Reconstruction
- Tierra Bonita alternative to the draft protection bill – In a series of three articles, the President of the Tierra Bonita Association has detailed criticisms of the current draft protection bill, alongside recommendations for changes based on other territories and EU laws. Criticisms of the current protections include that it does not consider the social aspect of the disaster, there are no guarantees given for those affected, especially those whose land is in the protected zone, and that similar areas elsewhere in Tenerife and Hawaii would not have been able to recover in the way they have done if they had the same restrictions applied. The full articles are available here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.
- Cabildo President demands fiscal exemptions – Sergio Rodríguez, President of the Cabildo de La Palma, has demanded that the Spanish Government grant La Palma a permanent exemption from fiscal rules, to continue the recovery process and combat the cost-of-living crisis caused by the volcano and recent conflicts. This includes mobilising treasury surpluses and borrowing without the usual penalties.
- €356,000 for new recycling centre – €356,000 has been awarded to the reconstruction of a new recycling centre in Los Llanose de Aridane, to replace the one destroyed during the eruption. This also allows the site of the temporary replacement to be cleared, which is slated for construction of new homes.
Pablo Rodríguez assures that the works on the LP-2 are “legally well-founded”. El Time (2026)
- LP-2 works “legally well-founded” – The Minister of Public Works, Pablo Rodriguez, has stated the LP-2 reconstruction is “legally well-founded” and will be completed. This was in response to an appeal by the group Centinela-Ecologistas en Acción against the works.
- Final steps for 100 subsidised homes project – In Tazacorte, the construction of 100 subsidised housing units should be going out for tender soon, which is part financed by €14.8 million of EU Next Generation funds. A spokesperson pointed out that Tazacorte has suffered from a housing shortage since the Tajogaite eruption in 2021.
- Perspective on the reconstruction – A new perspective piece has argued that Los Llanos de Aridane is only now starting to come back to a sense of normalcy, with reconstruction efforts having reached “cruising speed”, with a clear outline of next steps. The piece argues that opening up the roads was a key action that has allowed later projects to continue with less hurdles, and that projects such as the Las Manchas cemetary and CEIP La Laguna reconstruction will further this feeling once completed. A 40-minute TV special investigating the current state of the reconstruction has also been created, and is available to watch here.
Aid
- Savings from 60% income tax reduction – In the 2025 tax year, €111 million will be saved on La Palma from the 60% income tax reduction on the island, brought in to stimulate the economic recovery of the island following the eruption in 2021.
- 60% income tax rebate to remain in place until 2027 – The Minister of Territorial Policy, Ángel Víctor Torres, has confirmed that the 60% income tax rebate will be fulfilled in both 2026 and 2027.
Science
- New project to address volcanic risk – The La Palma Island Council is organizing a day to discuss the European Commission’s Volcano Project, a program of the Government of the Canary Islands and the National Geographic Institute (IGN), with municipal representatives, technical staff and volunteers. The aim of the project is to develop policies, legalisation and other measures to better manage volcanic risk on the islands, by updating PEVOLCA and volcanic risk analyses for the Canary Islands.
- Granadilla offers talks on volcanic risk and self-protection – The City Council of Granadilla in Tenerife is offering public talks aimed at education in what the population should do to protect themselves and their property in the event of a volcanic eruption, informed by people affected by the 2021 Tajogaite eruption in La Palma.
- Tenerife Island Council adopts suggestions from those affected by Tajogaite – The recommendations of eight associations from La Palma representing those affected by the 2021 eruptions, have been adopted by the Tenerife Island Council. The recommendations were aimed towards not repeating the same management errors seen during the La Palma eruption. This included the need for real-time transparent data on volcanic activity, training drills, updating emergency plans and self-protection training, as well as the legal security of assets.
- CO2 sensors to be installed in more homes – The Peinpal group has agreed to install additional CO2 sensors, as part of the CO2 Alert project, in more buildings in the eastern and western parts of La Palma, away from the areas affected by the 2021 eruption, to better obtain baselines CO2 concentrations for the island.
They agree to install CO₂ sensors in public buildings and homes in the east and west of La Palma. El Time (2026)
Other updates
- La Palma in Lonely Planet recommendations – La Palma has been named in a global list of 8 destinations for those who want to experience volcanic landscapes.
- New Tierra Bonita opinion piece on reconstruction – Francisco Pulido, President of the Tierra Bonita Association, has released a new opinion piece on the reconstruction. In it, he argues that the current reconstruction model is tailored towards the needs of industrial lobbies and big businesses, rather than the affected population. He cites the lack of self-criticism and very top-down nature of the reconstruction process for this, as well as a lack of transparency and increasing recovery project costs. The full article can be read here.
- Future university campus on La Palma – The Cabildo de La Palma and University of La Laguna have finalised plans for a campus on La Palma, which will start by offering postgraduate and masters degrees. They hope to integrate the campus with local institutions, included IGN and Involcan from the volcanology side.
- New book “Between flour and volcanoes” – A new book “Between flour and volcanoes” explores the history of bread in the Canary Islands, and its association with these volcanic islands.
“Reconstruction on demand: a new volcano of plunder and institutional silence in the Aridane Valley”. El Valle de Aridane (2026)
- Tourist information centres see record numbers – The tourist information centres on La Palma saw 160,000 people in 2025, representing a record number of visits, up 298% compared with before the pandemic.
- Snow above Tajogaite – Unusually cold weather led to snow settling on the Cumbre Vieja ridge above Tajogaite, which is rare for the island.
- Tajogaite lava flows steam heavily – Intense rainfall from Storm Therese caused intense steaming of the Tajogaite lava flows, a reminder of the high temperatures that remain in the interiors of the flows.
- Los Llanos de Aridane supports short film on reconstruction – Los Llanos de Aridane City Council has joined the new short film ‘Kipuka’ as a sponsor and collaborator. The film explores displacement, memory and emotional reconstruction following the eruption.
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