Greece is Burning

[Solly]

Greeks tend to stay put in their homes until the last minute as most don't have property insurance. That raises the death toll as does the remoteness and elevation of a lot of their villages.

[VetLegion]

Originally posted by Wernazuma III


QFT.
Folks, hold your politicians accountable for ignoring this huge problems for decades.

I can't understand what kind of idiotic law gives people an incentive to burn down forests so that they could build buildings. It's not that I care about the trees, it's that I can't imagine how such a stupid law would be worded.

"Article xx.

You can build where there is forest, if the forest burns."

Huh? They need to change that ASAP.

Vet: How's the situation in Croatia? Was the Dubrovnik fire bad luck or was there also arson? A friend of mine eye-witnessed the fire, brought awesome fotos back home.

Arson is suspected. They're looking for some guy who went out of his way to make awsome photos

Seriously, I think most fires are started on purpose. There are some sick people out there. I wish that they could simply be furries and leave the matches alone.

[Varwnos]

Most arsons nowdays start with explosive mechanisms. Already the remains of some have been found here, in the parts of the forest where the fire has been put out.

The law obviously does not allow arson, but in most cases there is no "eternal forest" policy for the largest part of the forested areas, which in turn makes building unauthorised constructions there the norm. Those constructions later on become legalised, since they are presented as houses of the poor. But this has to stop.

[Solver]

Apparently the ancient ruins of Olympia are now threatened

Why isn't Greece getting help from other countries?

[BlackCat]

They are :

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6964345.stm

EU countries responded to Greece's appeal for help, with France, Spain and Italy sending firefighting aircraft. Others sent helicopters, fire engines or firefighters.

[SlowwHand]

Spain should send some of that plain rain.

[Solver]

Russian news says that they managed to save the Museum of Olympia

[germanos]

Originally posted by Solver
Apparently the ancient ruins of Olympia are now threatened

Why isn't Greece getting help from other countries?

The fire is going to ruin the ruins? WTF is left to burn of them?

If anything, the fire is threathening the tourist industry around Olympia. It'll be a testimonial to the modern Greek culture of land reclamation

[DaShi]

Oh well. Greece had a good run.

[Kuciwalker]

Is it bad that this keeps making me think of a BtS event?

[SlowwHand]

"Fires are burning in more than half the country," said fire department spokesman Nikos Diamandis. "This is definitely an unprecedented disaster for Greece."

In the ravaged mountain villages in the Peloponnese, rescue crews found a grim scene that spoke of last-minute desperation as the fires closed in. Dozens of charred bodies have been found across fields, homes, along roads and in cars.

The remains of a mother hugging her four children were found near the town of Zaharo in the western Peloponnese, where the country's largest fire has been burning.

Nearly 4,000 soldiers, backed by military helicopters, were sent to reinforce firefighters over the past three days, and at least 12 countries were sending aid.

By sea and by land, authorities evacuated hundreds of people from villages, hotels and resorts. More than 60 new fires broke out on Sunday, although 40 of them were brought under control by Sunday night, Diamandis said.

The wildfires started Friday and quickly engulfed villages, trapping dozens of people and killing at least 37.

[Traianvs]

Originally posted by Solver
Russian news says that they managed to save the Museum of Olympia

Yes they're spraying the antiquities so they're kept wet!

Originally posted by germanos


For some reason it's very profitable to burn down forests (Apparently it makes the land easier to build real-estate on). In Greece it's an annual ritual, as it is in parts of Italy and Spain.

It's a crying shame suitible legislation cannot be passed through the respective parliaments. A crime like this was bound to happen sooner or later. Perhaps the Greeks will finally solve the issue, but expect similar scenes in Italy and Spain in the decade to come .

I heard that in Portugal this happens even more so... it's sort of well established there unfortunately

[Zkribbler]

It's a crying shame suitible legislation cannot be passed through the respective parliaments. A crime like this was bound to happen sooner or later. Perhaps the Greeks will finally solve the issue, but expect similar scenes in Italy and Spain in the decade to come .

It's probably not a question of outlawing this kind of conduct. I'm sure that's already been done. It's probably a question of proper investigating these crimes and bringing the purpetrators to justice.

[Solly]

Good that the Marbles have been kept in Britain isn't it?

[SlowwHand]

Do you know the meaning of azzhole when used in the context of, "You're a real azzhole"?