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Conspiracy theories. Please back your claims and stop propagating false stuff. Several independent reports pointed out that the Pedrogão Grande fires (the ones

Conspiracy theories. Please back your claims and stop propagating false stuff. Several independent reports pointed out that the Pedrogão Grande fires (the ones that killed 64 people) started at the power lines. https://www.tsf.pt/sociedade/interior/pedrogao-edp-na-origem-das-chamas-esegundo-um-fogo-fora-dosregistos-oficiais-8848712.html https://www.tsf.pt/sociedade/interior/pedrogao-edp-na-origem... https://www.rtp.pt/noticias/pais/causa-do-incendio-principal-de-junho-ligada-a-linha-eletrica_v1034194 https://www.rtp.pt/noticias/pais/causa-do-incendio-principal... https://www.dn.pt/sociedade/interior/incendio-causado-porlinha-daedp-8849137.html https://www.dn.pt/sociedade/interior/incendio-causado-porlin... Please stop these conspiracy theories. Many other fires can be tracked down to power lines.

pedrocr 7y ago
That year there was a second event where a lot of people died later in the year. That happened in a weekend just before rain was forecasted. I can't confirm the criminal intent but there is no doubt that all throughout the country people were burning forest and agricultural waste just before the rain. Because of the weather conditions that started fires all over the country. One thing that changed after that dark year is that the police now takes it seriously when you call in about someone burning a pile somewhere. Whereas before this was already illegal but widely tolerated even though it is very dangerous.
- fyfy18 7y ago
  I was in Spain early this year, and even in semi-agricultural suburbs around Jerez I saw people burning large piles agricultural waste in their gardens.
  - pedrocr 7y ago
    It's a perfectly fine practice for 8 or 9 months of the year. It's illegal in the summer for good reason.
  - pvaldes 7y ago
    There is a fire index published by the administration for each day of the year. It goes from 1 (low) to 5 (extreme risk) and uses probably air humidity, temperature, and expectacion of future rains and winds. It is allowed to make a small bonfire or a barbeque in your backyard at day when the index is low or moderate.
- blue_devil 7y ago
  >> police now takes it seriously when you call in about someone burning a pile somewhere. Not too sure. I was on holiday in the Algarve last year in Sept, and called the police to ask them about a lot of smoke drifting down into the town where I was. They just shrugged it off as "people are clearing their fields". I know Sept is not prime fire season, but there was little rain at the time last year.
  - pedrocr 7y ago
    It will depend on the climate and date if september is still forbidden. It's not the same every year. Local policing is also highly variable. Calling the national emergency number is the correct procedure I believe (112).
throw0101a 7y ago
In the recent 2019 fires someone has been charged: * https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/portugal-wildfires-forest-damage-suspect-arrest-police-investigation-a9014461.html https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/portugal-wil... That's only one specific case though. However, the general sentiment is prevalent, as even fire chiefs comment on it: * https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-40355787 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-40355787 The US has learned some lessons on reducing risk to dwellings, and other countries may want to look at public education campaigns if they haven't already: * https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/By-topic/Wildfire/Preparing-homes-for-wildfire https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/By-topic/Wildfire/Prep... * https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/By-topic/Wildfire https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/By-topic/Wildfire
- HugoDaniel 7y ago
  The first two links are what happens when we decide to spread false news and give voice to conspiracy theories: Accused is different from charged. Even if the person saying it is the head of the fireman fighting the fire. It is not the police job (nor the fireman) to determine who is responsible for a crime. We have courts for that. In Portugal people get preemptively arrested when there is risk of escape among other things. This might have been the case. No mention is made on said person being charged with anything. As can be read on one of the articles: “The suspect’s actions put people’s lives, houses and the forest at risk,” the police said, without explicitly saying that the detained man was responsible for the ongoing wildfire. I am not saying that there are no bad agents at play. I am just pointing out that the public uproar against "fire mafias" and fire starters is so big that it reaches fire chiefs and police officers. It then gets out on the news which propagates it further, just like an avalanche ball. That said: Now is my time for a conspiracy theory. The recent past (cambrige analytica et al) has taught us that most of our rage reactions are being manipulated and abused by higher interests. In this case who might be the big player influencing public opinion through news and propaganda that focus on supposed fire-starters and "fire mafias" ? (cof E cof D cof P) :)
  - JetSpiegel 7y ago
    Yes, you should take anything that Jaime Marta Soares says with a big grain of salt. He's not just the head of the Voluntary Fireman's League (the board of which is staffed by his family members), he's even on the board of a big footbal club smack in the middle of Lisbon. Talk about serving two masters.
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]

pedrocr 7y ago

That year there was a second event where a lot of people died later in the year. That happened in a weekend just before rain was forecasted. I can't confirm the criminal intent but there is no doubt that all throughout the country people were burning forest and agricultural waste just before the rain. Because of the weather conditions that started fires all over the country. One thing that changed after that dark year is that the police now takes it seriously when you call in about someone burning a pile somewhere. Whereas before this was already illegal but widely tolerated even though it is very dangerous.

fyfy18 7y ago
I was in Spain early this year, and even in semi-agricultural suburbs around Jerez I saw people burning large piles agricultural waste in their gardens.
- pedrocr 7y ago
  It's a perfectly fine practice for 8 or 9 months of the year. It's illegal in the summer for good reason.
- pvaldes 7y ago
  There is a fire index published by the administration for each day of the year. It goes from 1 (low) to 5 (extreme risk) and uses probably air humidity, temperature, and expectacion of future rains and winds. It is allowed to make a small bonfire or a barbeque in your backyard at day when the index is low or moderate.
blue_devil 7y ago
>> police now takes it seriously when you call in about someone burning a pile somewhere. Not too sure. I was on holiday in the Algarve last year in Sept, and called the police to ask them about a lot of smoke drifting down into the town where I was. They just shrugged it off as "people are clearing their fields". I know Sept is not prime fire season, but there was little rain at the time last year.
- pedrocr 7y ago
  It will depend on the climate and date if september is still forbidden. It's not the same every year. Local policing is also highly variable. Calling the national emergency number is the correct procedure I believe (112).

throw0101a 7y ago

In the recent 2019 fires someone has been charged: * https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/portugal-wildfires-forest-damage-suspect-arrest-police-investigation-a9014461.html https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/portugal-wil... That's only one specific case though. However, the general sentiment is prevalent, as even fire chiefs comment on it: * https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-40355787 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-40355787 The US has learned some lessons on reducing risk to dwellings, and other countries may want to look at public education campaigns if they haven't already: * https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/By-topic/Wildfire/Preparing-homes-for-wildfire https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/By-topic/Wildfire/Prep... * https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/By-topic/Wildfire https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/By-topic/Wildfire

HugoDaniel 7y ago
The first two links are what happens when we decide to spread false news and give voice to conspiracy theories: Accused is different from charged. Even if the person saying it is the head of the fireman fighting the fire. It is not the police job (nor the fireman) to determine who is responsible for a crime. We have courts for that. In Portugal people get preemptively arrested when there is risk of escape among other things. This might have been the case. No mention is made on said person being charged with anything. As can be read on one of the articles: “The suspect’s actions put people’s lives, houses and the forest at risk,” the police said, without explicitly saying that the detained man was responsible for the ongoing wildfire. I am not saying that there are no bad agents at play. I am just pointing out that the public uproar against "fire mafias" and fire starters is so big that it reaches fire chiefs and police officers. It then gets out on the news which propagates it further, just like an avalanche ball. That said: Now is my time for a conspiracy theory. The recent past (cambrige analytica et al) has taught us that most of our rage reactions are being manipulated and abused by higher interests. In this case who might be the big player influencing public opinion through news and propaganda that focus on supposed fire-starters and "fire mafias" ? (cof E cof D cof P) :)
- JetSpiegel 7y ago
  Yes, you should take anything that Jaime Marta Soares says with a big grain of salt. He's not just the head of the Voluntary Fireman's League (the board of which is staffed by his family members), he's even on the board of a big footbal club smack in the middle of Lisbon. Talk about serving two masters.

deleted 7y ago

[deleted]