Following several days of very severe (and deliberately started) forest fires, here's the latest - taken from outside my apartment block this afternoon...Jim

Who deliberately sets forest fires? We certainly have our fair share in the Western US but most of those are started by lightning and by accident (campers).

Amazing.

Shaun

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/08/07/spain.fires.reut/index.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/5252402.stm

Yep, we get a bunch of them out here. I live at the base of the foothills and always have to be watching out. Most of ours are accidental or lightening strike but we get out fair share of arson as well. Sometimes they are started to cover up illegal marijuana operations or meth labs.

This is a big problem for us here in Central Florida as well. We feel for you guys. Take care.

Saw this on the news, massive fires. How far away from you are/were they.

Aside from that you've got a great view there.

Latest is that a 90 year old man has been arrested and charged with starting three of the fires - and a 35 year-old fireman...Makes ya kind wonder..Jim

I saw those fires on the news last night as well.

The fireman must have been bored

Probably wanted some overtime

I think the Firemen have controled burnouts to prevent any uncontroled flash fires or to stop a on coming fire

That's no joke...pretty true.. There are some "bad seed" firemen who do start fires so that they can get overtime and work.

Many firemen live for fires and with more people being "fire conscience," firemen's lives are sometimes so boring because there are no fires. So a few (note: a FEW) start fires themselves just to do their job of putting it out. In fact, many emergency services people admit that they go to work when something bad happens (to someone), unfortunate as it may sound, but it's true if you think about it.

It's in the papers, movies, the news and reported by police. I think there was a true-to-life movie of a fire chief starting fires so that he can get a kick out of bossing firemen around.

That remark is in APALLING taste. Not just the livelihood of thousands of people are in ashes, but the damage to the ecosystem is almost impossible to calculate. When the rains start, the ash will be washed into rivers and estuaries with another major impact on the environment...

Sorry to disagree Jim but,

There have been several instances where firefighters will commit arson to get the callouts. I have been personall involved in prosecuting several myself. I am not sure how it works in the rest of the world or any other parts of the USA as well but in my area we have firefighters who only get paid when they get called out. And yes, they have no regard for the future problems that they are causing for the forest, people in general, and businesses. This goes for full time paid firefighters as well. They will start fires to get overtime pay. A fire is easier to start and get away with than anything else. I have worked cases where actual fires were started and cases where they just made the bogus call to catch a couple of hours of overtime for responding. There have even been some cases where the call was made or the fire started because the particular person liked to drive code 3.

Mark, I certainly agree with the tone of YOUR reply - so far two of those arrested have actually been serving firefighters. It was just the previous comment which riled me....Jim

What the your problem Jim?

First of all you totally ignore my first reply which was a compliment on the view from your apartment followed by a question as to the distance the fires were away from you. Now don't get me wrong, I don't care if you didn't want to reply, it aint going to break my heart.

Secondly my comment about the fireman and overtime was NOT A JOKE and wasn't meant to have any taste about it. I was referring to true facts but couldn't be bothered to write an essay on it. Most people know this goes on, we've had it in England where a few firemen set fires for each others shifts just as they were ending so they could get overtime.

Two other people back up my comment and hey, the great jim rea says that's ok. But mine isn't?

Jim, this wouldn't be personal would it because I happen to have said in the past that sometimes your attitude and language is out of order. Is this going to be another example?

Dunno about wrecking the ecosystem either Jim.
Over here, a Country which experiences the most severe and devistating forest fires in the world, the effects they have on the environment are fantastic!
They do kill of animals, and do destroy lives and property, however when they occur in more remote areas, or parkland from natural occurances, the after effects these forests get are terrific. The re-growth is always thicker and stronger than before, the animals return, and its basically just cleans the ecosystem.
Truly hope the fires over there get contained soon with as little damage to life and livelyhood as possible.
Also in the future, just might wanna be sure of what someone means by their comments before you assume the worst Jim, as i'm Sure Vic meant no harm by his comments.
Cheers

Hi Jim,
After looking at your photos i can understand that in this situation that the fires were a bit TOO close to home,hence your reaction to Vic's comment.It's easy to read into something that not's there,whether you have a track record with each other or not.
I do agree with David though about his point on the ecosystem.After having extensively travelled around Australia and going into the 'outback',one of the first things that you learn about the Aborigines tribes was their earlier method of bush burning .After taking what food and resources from bush areas,they used to set fire to them.As David mentioned,the bush areas would grow back even more dense and attract other kinds of bird species and insects,thus being one of the first ever primitive methods of recycling.This was also done to control the threat of widespread fires that could affect the Aborigine's way of life.
However it is a different story when fires are deliberately lit by pyro's or people just looking for a "kick".
Hopefully the fire's will die down and no one further loses a home or is injured and those responsible are tried for their stupid reactions,even if they were done by firefighters to get extra 'overtime'.
Cheers,Shay