REMEMBERING 2 O 10S WILDFIRES Part II Walter
REMEMBERING 2 O 10’S WILDFIRES. Part II Walter Hays, Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction, University of North Carolina, USA
The original fires spread quickly due to dry conditions exacerbated by drought and high winds, the latter carrying smoldering embers through the air and caused additional blazes.
Soon, there were 25, 000 heat sources from fires of various sizes, burning mostly in the east near Brazil in the departments of Cochabamba, Beni, Santa Cruz and Pando.
PRESIDENT EVO MORALES DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY
Bolivia’s President Morales said that his country was not properly equipped with planes, helicopters, and enough firefighters to handle the wildfires, and asked for help from neighbors Brazil and Argentina.
THE FIRST LARGE WILDFIRE IN 50 YEARS RAVAGES BOULDER, COLORADO AN EXAMPLE OF NOT HAVING THE CAPACITY WHEN AN INFREQUENT HAZARDOUS EVENT HAPPENS SEPTEMBER 6 -9, 2010
The largest wildfire in Boulder county in 50 years was started by an automobile accidentally hitting a propane tank.
3, 500 residents were forced to flee their homes to escape the fast moving fire that burned more than 7, 120 acres of very dry trees and brush.
WILDFIRE IN FOUR MILE CANYON NEAR BOULDER
WILDFIRE NEAR BOULDER, COLORADO
A DISTANT VIEW OF THE RAPIDLY MOVING WILDFIRE
BUSES BURNED
ONLY A FEW FIRE FIGHTING HELICOPTERS
FILLING UP WITH WATER AT BOULDER RESERVOIR
MANY TRIPS WERE NEEDED
GOVERNOR BILL RITTER ANNOUNCED SUPPORT
The wildfire destroyed nearly 100 structures in just 2 days. .
WILDFIRES HERRIMAN, UTAH September 19, 2010.
10, 000 ACRES BURNED
ISRAEL’S 2010 WILDFIRE REVEALED LACK OF PREPARATION, BUT INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION SAVED THE DAY DECEMBER 1 -8, 2010
THE WILDFIRE NEAR HAIFA, THE 3 RD LARGEST CITY
Israel’s summer of 2010 had been one of the hottest and driest on record, creating conditions that are favorable for wildfires.
The reported cause: A 14 -year-oldboy says he had been smoking, using a hookah pipe, in a forest, and the fire got out of control within minutes and swept across 10, 000 acres in 24 hours. .
ISRAEL’S WORST WILDFIRE IN HISTORY FINDS ISRAEL UNPREPARED The emergency showed that Israel had neglected to invest in the equipment and personnel needed to effectively combat wildfires that have become pervasive in recent years amid unseasonably high temperatures and periods of drought
FIREFIGHTERS ON THE GROUND
AN INTENSE FIRE EXACERBATED BY WIND AND DRYNESS
FIREFIGHTERS ON THE GROUND
The flames, fanned by high winds, were like a giant wave at sea, traveling at times with leaps of 500 meters.
After only two days, the fire killed 42 people and consumed more than 10, 000 acres, destroying a large part of the Carmel Forest, one of Israel's natural crown jewels and a popular tourist and vacation destination that is known as “Little Switzerland” because of its beauty. .
The fire, exacerbated by high winds, was too demanding for Israel’s 1, 500 firefighters to contain, so Israel issued a rare call for HELP.
Thirteen nations of the international community responded immediately with material assets and pledges of financial resources.
PLANES FROM FOUR COUNTRIES FOUGHT THE FIRE
NOVEMBER 6: Although the fire still has many hot spots located in hard to reach areas, the fire was expected to be under control within about 2 days.
DECEMBER 5: Israel was finally close to dousing the Carmel wildfire that had devastated thousands of acres of land in the north.
DECEMBER 16: While nearly all of Israel’s firefighters were battling the Carmel blaze, at least 25 fires were purposely set in other forested areas ranging from the northern town of Kiryat Shemonah to Jerusalem.
The acts of arson were purposely kept quiet “so as not to prompt into action more potential terrorists” who might try to take advantage of the Carmel fire to overwhelm the country’s security and rescue forces
Fortunately, the heavy rains that followed the fires made arson ineffective.
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