My green, fresh, ancient dear Galicia burns. Every summer there are lots of forest fires. But this summer seems diferent. We have a territory in siege by fire, who reachs cities and villages, cuts off phone and electric lines and blocks the roads. And we have three victims at this moment. Actually fire brigades are helped by the Army in their work, and they keep watching the forest. Another Autonomous Communities send us more fire fighters too.
Meanwhile, Spanish president J.L. Rodríguez Zapatero and Galician president E.Pérez Touriño are in holiday. This fact reminds me when in the latest environmental disaster, the sinking of the oil tanker Prestige, the former Galician president M.Fraga Iribarne was hunting in that weekend. I remind too Rodríguez Zapatero in the opera meanwhile 13 firefighters died in Castilla-La Mancha last year. Fraga’s government was conservative, Touriño rules with a socialist and (Galician) nationalist coalition. Opposite ideologies, the same improvised, negligent attitude.
The fires are started intentionally by humans, and, as every year, some people are arrested. Every year it’s said by politicians they’re going to change the law, but every year the burned wood is sold in low price, and forests are replaced by new estates.
There is an amazing satellite photo in ElMundo.es.