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Date Published: 26/09/2025

A law forged in lava: Canary Islands lead with volcano law and emergency kits

New disaster law guarantees real compensation while Tenerife puts survival bags into practice for volcanic evacuations

If anyone understands what it means to live with volcanoes, it’s the people of the Canary Islands. This week, their Parliament passed Spain’s first-ever volcano law, which has been described as “written by many hands and born of pain.”

Sparked by the heartbreak of La Palma’s Tajogaite eruption, more than 18,000 locals added their voices to help turn years of loss and hard lessons into a law that finally feels practical, not just political.

This new law is no hollow gesture. It actually changes the rules for what happens if the ground shakes again. Instead of sympathy and confusing red tape, the law guarantees that compensation for houses, land, or businesses lost to future eruptions will match their real value, not some cut-rate estimate.

Even more important for many families, it makes it possible to rebuild homes right where they were, or as close as possible, avoiding the heartbreak of being forced away from your community. What was once a sea of slow paperwork and uncertainty gets replaced by clearer timelines and direct support. As one MP put it, “This law comes from the people,” and for once, you can really see it.

Politicians across the spectrum united behind the new plan, praising the courage of affected locals, but also signalling: this won’t solve everything overnight. There’s still work to do when it comes to the nitty-gritty of insurance, tax, and cross-agency help, especially when volcanic emergencies drag on longer than expected. But with all parties on board, the islands now have a law built from real experience, designed to take away the guesswork if disaster strikes again.

Tenerife puts preparation into practice - with actual backpacks!

Tenerife is upping its game on disaster training too, distributing “Family Evacuation Kits” during pre-drill training in Garachico - no stranger to eruptions, having lost its port to lava back in 1706. These bright emergency backpacks aren’t just for show. Each kit comes loaded with basics: a bright torch, a thermal blanket, a practical toiletry set, pen and notebook, a sturdy document holder, and a radio with spare batteries. The authorities are clear: this is a minimum list, and every family should add their own must-haves, from medicines to backup keys.

Why now? Because Tenerife is about to stage the EU-MODEX volcanic emergency drill, one of Spain’s biggest. On Friday September 26, over a thousand people will take part, testing everything from evacuation alerts (everyone’s mobiles will get a test ping) to air quality checks and coastal rescue practice. Local leaders are calling this a “momentous change” - a bold push to make sure volcanic risk isn’t just something to worry about but something everyone’s ready for.

From advice to action - getting ready, the Canary way

It all harks back to that public advice from April, when everyone in Spain was urged to put together emergency survival kits for blackouts and disasters. Now, the Canary Islands are combining common sense and hard-won wisdom, putting laws and hands-on training side by side.

So, if the earth rumbles again, Canarians will have a lot more than hope and a torch to get them through. With this new law, clearer plans and literal bags at the ready, they’re showing the rest of Spain how to move from improvising in a crisis to truly being prepared.

Image: wikicommons

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