My country has been turned into a huge wildfire :( Internet was down for the whole day until now.

There's fires and wildfires everywhere, houses have burned and are still burning we have about 53 dead and counting, and the distruction is not ending. :( Athens has a lit horizon right now (it's midnight) and it is raining ash and smells like burnt wood. It's horrible.

I just felt like sharing… and asking for your support. This is the greatest environmental disaster in Greece since its modern formation in 1830. I don't want to imagine what winter will bring. :( :( :(

Here's the CNN article, in Breaking News, with more official details rather than my personal account.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/08/25/greece.fires/index.html

Oh, damn.

That sucks.

………….

At least you're ok!

Thank God yes. My house is in an area of Athens that it would mean already 50% of Athens would be burnt before the flames reaching me. But that doesn't make it any less hurtful. Most of us were rather proud of our forests. They are all but gone now. :(

That's terrible! I can't even imagine…

I'll be praying that it ends soon and as much life, property, and wilderness as possible can be salvaged. :(

My, that is horrible. D:

It really does suck when fires come close to cities and destroy forests. Fires are a beautiful thing from far away that are filled with force and power. But when they endanger lives and destroy things of worth they really show what they're capable of.

Oh man that's horrible! I'm glad your still alive! Maybe a bunch of volunteers will come and try to replant the forests when the fires go out.

I'm sorry to hear that, my prayers go out to your family and friends.

I hope everything turns out okay.

I pray that the disaster starts to get better.

My thoughts go out to you and your country. Greece is a beautiful country and I hope everything turns out okay for you. From what I hear the Greek are strong, unified people. I hope everyone helps everyone in this time of turbulence.

I would hate to see such a place become a charred wasteland.

I'm loading my revolver and setting out to find those responsible right away. D:

Eagle
I would hate to see such a place become a charred wasteland.

I'm loading my revolver and setting out to find those responsible right away. D:

Bekefel… Just stick to one identity outside the TD please. :)

Hmm, these fires add to the destruction the last ones caused. I heard it was thought greedy developers might have been behind the first ones?

FOR THE LAST TIME EAGLE IS NOT ME.

THE BITCH USES MY PC, END OF STORY.

Thanks, everyone. It's really helping to hear people sending their support.

The Greeks are pretty unified and strong by virtue of culture alone. We are fighting back any way we can. Right now it is the people in general (rather than just the fighters) fighting against the flames. There are many things going on here that are haunting and sinister- for example we have been having poor help getting fire fighting planes from other countries (they are supposed to come today, from France and some other countries of the EU). There is poor coordination, and little effective use of what resourses we do have. So basically any lands saved have been saved because of the laymen and isolated fire fighting units fighting tooth and nail.

They do say that land developers have set the fires, but many don't believe that this is the only reason. Many of the lands burning are not offering themselves to any sort of development (they are mountainous and off the beaten track, or were cultivated lands for oil, grapes and grain).

They have caught some people and charged them for arson, but it's anyone's guess if they are the culprits. People are skeptical here (we have experience with arsonists and this is well beyond what they usually do every summer).

Thank you everyone. It really helps to hear from you. Today some areas are better, but the fire is moving further south, to Messinia which is one of the largest oil producing valleys of the country. Let's hope that at least will be doused from the air.

EDIT

Here are some pictures from what has been going on all day yesterday and is still going on today. Many fires that were doused now are rehashed again. I don't know what will happen to us.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdTt2A_9m3A

I find it so hard to fathom why anyone would willfully destroy huge swathes of something so beautiful, it makes me despair for humanity it really does.

Heres hoping that all turns out well, my parents are in Greece on holiday although nowhere near the fires.

I always loved greece and its forests and such. I watched a newcast all about it last night. I hope those who did it get caught and punished for destroying them.

Right now everyone is trying to salvage people and property where it is possible. There are several theories announced by politicians about who is culpable for the fire and lack of proper coordination, but I think this will not become apparent before the fire is actually extinguished- which it hasn't been, yet. It is still burning. :(

The cause is the boiling sun temperature, it happened in america a couple of days ago