Tuesday, August 28, 2007

More on the fires in Greece

Here are more articles on the fires in Greece. This touches all of us. Greece is part of our world heritage.

Today's news shows that Olympia has been spared. I was glad to hear of volunteers from other countries helping but wish the southwest states would send smokejumpers and equipment. Rain would help.

Arson is suspected. Tragic and unforgivable but, unfortunately, many of the worst wildfires here have also been due to arson. Carelessness is high on the list too.

Why Is Greece on Fire?
http://www.truthout.org/issues_06/082707EA.shtml
Nicole Itano, The Christian Science Monitor, writes: "On Sunday, at least 51 people were confirmed dead in the worst series of fires to hit Greece in decades. And still fires, many of them blamed on arsonists, continued to spread across the country, fanned by gale-force winds and fed by vegetation dried out from long months of drought."

NPR - National Public Radio - read and listen:
All Things Considered: Forest Fires Claim Lives in Greece

VOA News - read and listen (easier):
Greece Says 7 More Accused of Starting Forest Fires

It will be interesting to hear from Mata how international and local/national coverage compare

4 comments:

  1. Hi all
    It is Tuesday evening .I am watching TV news to see what happen with the fires. Until now they are still “alive” . They destroyed everything in their road. A lot of villages don’t exist anymore. The people are crying .
    The government hadn’t a plan to faces the fire. Now they want our vote for the election in 16/09/07. I wonder if the prime minister ask a vote for the man who has lost her wife and the four children. I ‘m very angry with the politicians.
    Until now I was very disappointed with them .But now I’ m very angry. The fires burned our woods , our houses , our animal, killed people, but the politicians almost every day “burn” our HOPES!!. This is my opinion Ms Vanessa.
    Anyway …
    The chairman of Bulgaria, Georgki Parbanof dispatched a letter in the chairman of Greek Democracy, Karolos Papoylia in which expresses his support for the battle at the fires that destroyed departments of country and left thousands homelessness’.

    Also and other countries expressed their support with telegrams and callings ;
    Like the chairman of Egypt , the Chairman of Serbia . From letters of support dispatched in the Chairman of Democracy Karolos Papoylia, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomeu, the Chairmen of Egypt, Moldavia Syria , Croatia , Swiss Confederation ,Bulgaria ,Albania, the Archbishop Cyprus and the Chairman of Parliament of Representatives of Cyprus Dimitris Christofias. But to the Prime Minister Mr Karamanlis it reached also letter of Prime Minister of China Oyen Tziampao.
    All they expressed their support for the devastating fires that affect our country.

    But the question is: Why the prime minister and his people don’t stop the fire from the begging. Five days Ms Vanessa, five days and the fire doing her work until now.

    Sorry about this feelings that show you but it is injustice. This situation was “The cherry on the cake”!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mata, I'd been wondering about government incompetence as a factor. I live in a fire prone & thus fire conscious region so see a lot of fire response first hand. Hot, dry weather + ample tinder in the form of dry underbrush and grass = high fire potential.

    What do you think about the government's claims of arson and terrorism?

    Other expressions that might fit here: icing on the cake (same meaning as cherry on the cake) and the straw that broke the camel's back, also known as "the last straw."

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ms Vanessa
    about the government's claims of arson and terrorism,I think that are politics games.
    There was people that turn on the light by accident ,but there was people that turn on the light
    on purpose, some of them because are unhealthy psychologically , but the most of them because they want to build houses , hotels and others . All these done for the money. Only they didn't expect all these situations.Now what can they told us? It is open secret. They destroy the environment and we can't do nothing. they are under cover.
    Now the tv has a debate with all leaders.They think that today tell something to us.But the truth is that we aren't listening to them.

    In the mean time the fire is warm until now. The area is near to my place.Until this morning the triphibian drop water.
    What can I say?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Mata - I recall hearing that on early PBS (public broadcasting) coverage. No doubt those responsible felt safe that they would not be called to account. You could call excessive greed psychologically unhealthy too.

    I remember reading that many if not most of the fires here in the southwest are the result of arson that got out of control.

    I hope your home will be safe.

    Keep on not listening to leaders trying to "spin" (make it sound less bad or themselves less to blame for not handling it better) the story.

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...