Opinion

Mediterranean fires

photo_camera Fire in Greece

There are few misfortunes as frustrating and damaging as fires. Fires whipped up by gusty winds are lethal for people, who lose their lives, their homes, their crops, much of their raison d'être. We can compare it to the floods that have occurred, for example, a few weeks ago in Germany and Belgium; or to earthquakes that bring down buildings, bridges and all the constructions that mankind thought would be indestructible, something similar, albeit in a different dimension, to what happened to the Titanic. In short, the misfortunes caused by nature, driven in recent times by depraved climate change or caused intentionally or accidentally by mankind, are decisive blows to the lives of millions of people. 

In recent days we have witnessed devastating Mediterranean fires in mainly southern European countries. They started in Turkey where they claimed the lives of more than 10 people, continued in Italy where the material damage is very high and are now ravaging large areas of central Greece with the threat of reaching the capital Athens. Unfortunately, we are not forgetting other countries such as Spain and Portugal, where every summer we are plagued by fires that destroy thousands of lives and affect the present and future of many millions. The current case of Greece is particularly virulent, with the loss of several human lives and the burning of thousands of hectares with the destruction of houses, crops and historical remains. Many citizens have helped to fight the fire in order to protect their belongings, but also those archaeological legacies that are the essence of their identity. The situation is very serious and the Greeks are receiving help from other European countries, such as Spain, with the dispatch of seaplanes and troops from the Military Emergency Unit. Everything that is necessary and possible must be mobilised to help the Greeks or those who are suffering from the fires, which are cursed by their enormous damage and, on too many occasions, by their bastard and intentional origin. 

The reflection at this time is the need to seek solutions beforehand to avoid these disasters. There is one fundamental recommendation that needs to be repeated ad nauseam: fires are put out in winter! In other words, if the essential work is done to clear the undergrowth, the bushes and all the rubbish that accumulates and which serves to fuel the fires, the rate of fires and their effects would be reduced. Livestock farming used to do its job, but has disappeared in many cases. Now budget cuts and measures to improve the bottom line are the order of the day. That's the way we are doing.