Portugal is on fire

[Svifnymr]

It's certainly an odd year. I saw a hurricane is heading for Ireland too.

How much support does the EU provide in these circumstances? Or is a country-internal thing?

[luc54]

It's certainly an odd year. I saw a hurricane is heading for Ireland too.

How much support does the EU provide in these circumstances? Or is a country-internal thing?

Provided Portugal asks for help they do get it: https://reliefweb.int/report/portuga...-help-portugal

[Low Hanging Fruit]

Shit happens. If they were a responsible country they would have lighter and matches control baked into there political documents to prevent things like this. After all a single man with a box of matches can do this to so many. Why is it so necessary for that to be that way? Because you like a toasty fire on a cold night while camping or cooking your food? We have other ways to do that these days without matches or lighters. They should be controlled.

[Zethras]

So . . . which god did they piss off?

The Witches weaved great firestorms.

[Hugnomo]

Shit happens. If they were a responsible country they would have lighter and matches control baked into there political documents to prevent things like this. After all a single man with a box of matches can do this to so many. Why is it so necessary for that to be that way? Because you like a toasty fire on a cold night while camping or cooking your food? We have other ways to do that these days without matches or lighters. They should be controlled.

I think you're somewhat off-base. The laws are there, people just don't give a sh*t. They are supposed to clean the area surrounding their properties but never do so. There's fires that have been discovered to have been started by cigarettes or garbage or whatever other nonsense. Unfortunately, people are irresponsible and there aren't enough employees in the competent authorities to keep track of it.

I am mad at the political class, but not for the reason you suggest.

A lot of the fires are set intentionally. Some of the fires are set accidentally by folk doing "queimadas" (burning dry bushes and stubble to clean the land for cultivation).

I'm mad at the government, not for not having laws aimed at prevention, but for not enforcing the laws they have. Dozens of pyromaniacs are arrested every year, but rarely go to trial or jail.

But I'm mostly infuriated with the political class because of the lobbies of the eucalyptus. It's very profitable, but highly flammable. And previous governments have completely deregulated the rules to allow for the planting of more of these trees. They sold our security and the lives of so many people for a couple of companies. It's disgraceful.

There's one more factor I can think of, which is that these fires run a certain economy surrounding departments of firefighting and companies that provide resources to it. As evident by the strange coincidence that one day after the government decided to conclude the program put in place to aid firefighting, seeing as we were well past the time were the occurrence of wildfires is more common, wildfires spring out of thin air everywhere (about a week ago).

[infinit]

woo! not the only one on fire for once!(california native)

3,000,000 acres burned in B.C Canada this summer.
California had around 850,000 acres burn

Glad you noticed

[Najnaj]

Why don't people clear around their houses? Virtually every forest will burn sooner or later, it is a part of nature and it is needed.

Build a home close to the forest + time = 100% chance for a forest fire. The only think that will save you is enough clearing. Even if you luck out on rain you are simply delaying it. Old forests burn...always.

[kasuke06]

3,000,000 acres burned in B.C Canada this summer.
California had around 850,000 acres burn

Glad you noticed

Don't worry, one day senpai will notice you as more than just best hat.

[Stonecloak]

Why don't people clear around their houses? Virtually every forest will burn sooner or later, it is a part of nature and it is needed.

Build a home close to the forest + time = 100% chance for a forest fire. The only think that will save you is enough clearing. Even if you luck out on rain you are simply delaying it. Old forests burn...always.

What lol? Every forest burnt is a part of nature? Wtf did I just read.

[Themius]

We probably have heard about it because we have the whole California fires that have killed 40 something people so far.

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What lol? Every forest burnt is a part of nature? Wtf did I just read.

Forest burning is part of nature... forests routinely burn when it is dry... actually I believe it was pointed out that without humans forest fires would be more common as there would be more forest to catch on fire.

[Stonecloak]

We probably have heard about it because we have the whole California fires that have killed 40 something people so far.

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Forest burning is part of nature... forests routinely burn when it is dry... actually I believe it was pointed out that without humans forest fires would be more common as there would be more forest to catch on fire.

It is, but not all the forests.

[Charge me Doctor]

I wonder how often such outbreaks occur and how people fight these forest fires. I know that in Russia there are whole firefighting units that supposed to prevent fire (by cutting down dry, dead trees and reacting to actual fire), just wonder whats their experience

[Post]

2016 was the year of celebrity deaths, 2017 is the year of doomsday natural events, I can't wait for 2018...

[Seramore]

nice so is california

[Mormolyce]

So . . . which god did they piss off?

My money's on Poseidon.

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I wonder how often such outbreaks occur and how people fight these forest fires. I know that in Russia there are whole firefighting units that supposed to prevent fire (by cutting down dry, dead trees and reacting to actual fire), just wonder whats their experience

In Australia I think they burn off large strips of land before the hot season, to create firebreaks.

[IIamaKing]

What lol? Every forest burnt is a part of nature? Wtf did I just read.

Lots of pine trees need fire so their pine cones release seed.

[Deleted]

Nature sucks.

This article (about Spain) suggest that some of them may have been set intentionally...which sucks worse.

Here in Australia it's estimated that 80-90% of bushfires are sparked intentionally or man made (cigarettes). Would expect that figure to be similar around the world.

[abracmike]

Here in Australia it's estimated that 80-90% of bushfires are sparked intentionally or man made (cigarettes). Would expect that figure to be similar around the world.

To be fair, everything in Australia tries to kill you, burning it all down could be seen as self defense =P

[Thoughtful Trolli]

I think we're now at the point where it would be relevant to search for a worldwide cult of arsonists.

[turboether]

At least where I'm from there are certainly opportunist pyromaniacs who use natural bushfires as cover to start more fires.