They teach us in matters of global warming and are not able to take control of a phenomenon that recurs every year in the same terms — forest fires. The vacuum of political leadership is obvious.
The cause of the fire in Pedrogao Grande could wear with a great personality, but he broke out in the region at that time and in those weather conditions for forest fires are the norm. That’s why it’s hard to disagree with the hypothesis that we are talking about the insolvency of civil defense. The risk of forest fires were not prevented, the local population has not received appropriate warnings, has not been prepared by means of dealing with fire and when the fire still broke out, was not taken all the necessary measures, such as monitoring traffic. Contrary to what the President said, do not think that everything possible was done.
But in this country it is customary to take responsibility only for the good news. And wanting to join the news of the reduction of excessive budget deficit were not lacking, and fathers and mothers and even grandparents. No one, however, referred to a favorable external situation or state regulation 2011-2014. But to take responsibility for the tragedy, like a fire in Pedrogao Grande, hurry not many. In these cases, prefer to talk about the spontaneity of nature, the heat, the wind and the fatal combination of all possible circumstances.
In this regard, it is interesting to note, how great is the contrast between the Portuguese and British regime, when faced with the drama of this magnitude. Last week in London at a fire in a high-rise apartment building killed 58 people. The cause of the fire was the recent incident (explosion of the refrigerator). However, the rapid spread of fire contributed to the material that had lined the building: cheaper than other options, but much less refractory. Here began the discussion, the Prime Minister called to account, to demand the dismissal. As is the case in any democratic country, when a tragedy happens that could have been avoided.
In the case of Pedrogao the consequences of the disaster (in this case we are talking about the dry storm) was also due to the problem of cheap coverage. This refers to the tree species, which for over a hundred years, the state has “faced” the Portuguese landscape: bald mountain, steppe and sandy plains. The choice fell on the economical types of trees, such as pine and eucalyptus. And thus not without the help of the climate and terrain was the ground prepared for the “fire season”. The outflow of the rural population only aggravated the situation: the so-called “forest” gradually turned into a huge abandoned forest, stepping close to roads and villages. Every year fires break out, and every year we hear stories in the news endless opinions of “experts”. And every time it ends in nothing.
From year to year too many people, including the most vulnerable groups, elderly villagers find themselves unwitting participants in a Russian roulette of forest fires. Impossible to see how helpless many of these people. Who is responsible for this? It is unknown because authorities made no appeal to “national unity”, if only to avoid pesky questions or uncomfortable disputes. But emotions, hugs, expressions of gratitude and compassion — more than enough: another kind of cheap veneer.
Yes, fire is a natural phenomenon, but there is always the opportunity to reduce the vulnerability to fires. In other southern European countries, we have not seen so many fires or such share fire-damaged forest zones. Isn’t the current government planted these forests, and then abandoned them? Of course not. Only it is not a “fault” and responsibility. To be in power means to take responsibility: to prevent, to change for the better. That’s why in the UK this debate originated from the beginning.
Is it meaningful to talk about global warming when we are not able even to create the appearance of measures for the prevention and control of the phenomenon, which is repeated from year to year, in the same conditions? In such situations it becomes apparent vacuum of political leadership in Portugal, disguised as regular replacement officials. in such cases of extreme weakness of the country’s far-fetched optimism and good news.
