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WILDFIRE NEAR ATHENS, GREECE
June 16, 2012
Walter Hays, Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction, University of
North Carolina, USA
IT’S “FIRE SEASON” AGAIN IN GREECE
Every Summer, Greece faces the nightmare of destructive forest fires linked either to the inevitable heat wave or to arsonists.
In 2007, 80 people died in dozens of major wildfires across Greece
THE FIRE BROKE OUT SATURDAY, JUNE 16TH
WHERE WORKERS HAD BEEN WELDING
BAD TIMING
The timing of the unwanted fire coincided with Greece’s election to deal with the economic crisis.
THYMARI, GREECE: JUNE 16, 2012
FIRE FIGHTERS AND VOLUNTEERS: THYMARI, GREECE
ONE OF SEVEN FIRE FIGHTING PLANES: THYMARI, GREECE; JUNE 16
PLANET EARTH HAS THOUSANDS OF “WILDFIRE
LABORATORIES”
EACH WILDFIRE PROVIDES VALUABLE LESSONS ON
DISASTER RISK REDUCTION
WILDFIRES are conflagrations caused by
lightning discharges (or acts of man) in wilderness areas close enough to one or more urban
interfaces that they threaten people, property, infrastructure, and
business enterprise.
WILDFIRES are conflagrations caused by
lightning discharges (or acts of man) in wilderness areas close enough to one or more urban
interfaces that they threaten people, property, infrastructure, and
business enterprise.
WILDFIRE HAZARDS (AKA POTENTIAL DISASTER AGENTS)
• FIRE
• HOT GASES AND SMOKE
• HOT SPOTS
• BURNED OUT SLOPES (with increased susceptibility to insect infestation, erosion, and landslides)
WILDFIRE HAZARDS (AKA POTENTIAL DISASTER AGENTS)
• SUNDOWNER WINDS
• SANTA ANNA WINDS
• LOCAL CHANGES IN AIR QUALITY
• LOCAL CHANGES IN WEATHER
WILDFIRES CAN CAUSE HIGH-RISK SITUATIONS
Any wildfire can be devastating to people, property, infrastructure, business enterprise, and the environment.
PAST WILDFIRES IN GREECE
• Hundreds of other wildfires have raged throughout Greece, most recently in 2009.
ATHENS, GREECE AREA
WILDFIRES NEAR ATHENS: AUGUST 22, 2009
WILDFIRES THREATEN ACROPOLIS: AUGUST 22, 2009
WILDFIRES NEAR ATHENS: AUGUST 22, 2009
WILDFIRES NEAR ATHENS: AUGUST 22, 2009