Southern Europe on fire

[demoleft]

Al Jazeera, 28 July 2007:

"An extreme heatwave continues to rage across southern Europe as firefighters struggle to contain the blazes that have burned thousands of hectares in the region.

In Bulgaria, 23,000 hectares of forest and farmland have burned over the past week.

In Calabria in the far south of Italy, firefighters were however still battling blazes threatening several scattered homes, while further north in Campania, helicopters were trying to quell a blaze that for days has been roaring through a forest north of Naples.

Italy on Friday declared a state of disaster for its worst-affected areas in the centre and south of the country, while authorities indicated that around 10 people had been arrested on suspicion of arson."

More about other European countries in the article at
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/1968B2DF-D568-45BA-9877-649DF763683F.htm

Between carelessness and criminal business I've seen part of my Region's green heart go away in the papers' report and pics.
The more surreal for me, I had participated with the Company I work with to a regional campaign of communication on Fire Danger in woods. So I had to imagine in adv.s terms what was just to happen for real.

Every year the same story. It's a shame.

[Eurobabe]

1. Here's some pictures from my German weather site

sorry text is in German, but the pictures give an idea of the damage. :( It's not just people, it's animals that are suffering too.

http://wetter.rtl.de/redaktion/news_3598.php

[demoleft]

2. Horror with no end. Cats used to set woods on fire.

Thanks for the images. Impressive.
I read German so I had a good survey in pictures and words on your site.

In Italy the Head of the Protezione Civile (the national team that minds these kind of disasters) said some criminals fetch cats and use them like living torches. Once set on fire, the cats, frightened, run through the woods and ipso facto become the unvoluntary cause of fires.

What would you do to these sub-human criminals?

[Rydz777]

3. As a cat "owner" (as if anyone can actually "own" a cat), I am

appalled at this. My first reaction is to set the sub-humans on fire and let them run around in terror. That , of course, is out of the question, but I constantly wonder at the abuse meted out by humans to cats. Dogs get some too but cats seem to be regular targets.

[demoleft]

4. True.

My girlfriend cried when I told her the story. She's always had cats at home. She believes she was one in a previous life.
It was a deep sorrow for her to hear the story.

"(as if anyone can actually 'own' a cat)": I see you know cat's inner nature perfectly!

[Eurobabe]

5. Who is doing this?? Unfreaking believable

and as a two cat household, we are outraged too. Maybe these crooks should be hung up on meat hooks and hoisted like the young doctor in "Last King of Scotland."

[NNadir]

6. Who is doing this?

Probably the people who couldn't care less about the unrestricted dumping of dangerous fossil fuel waste, carbon dioxide, into the air in billion ton quantities.

On one hand there is the issue of lighting a match. On the other hand there is the issue of creating flammable tinder.

Lighting a match in a damp cool forest is one thing. Lighting a match in a desiccated hot forest is another.

[Eurobabe]

8. And lighting a CAT is another....

[philb]

7. Why do we have to depend on Al Jazeera coverage for this?

Is it not newsworthy to other English speaking news organizations?

[kestrel91316]

9. They're too busy reporting about Paris Hilton's jail stay, Lindsey

Lohan's latest drunken escapade, John Edwards' personal grooming expenditures, and who won the lastest American Idol.

You know. The IMPORTANT stuff.

[demoleft]

10. It's rain in my region, finally...update on fires

...and it will be on the north-eastern side of Italy and cooler weather expected for tomorrow.
28 fires today in central and southern Italy, with Canadairs flying up and down. A farmer was arrested while setting fire.

This is recorded as one of the warmest waves in 30 years for intensity (33.5°C on average in Italy), for duration (12 days), for extension (all over Italy). 43°C at Amendola; 40°C at Ferrara among the others.

Weather on Europe, http://media2.meteo.it/europa/index.html
I see bad weather in the south is not going to last.
I hope they're wrong!