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A world tally of the most destructive forest fires
Paris (AFP) Aug 27, 2007 Greece was battling for a fourth day on Monday forest fires that have killed 63 people and burned 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres). Here follows a list of major forest fires around the world in the past seven years: -- July, 2006: Six firefighters, including five from Chile, burned to death fighting a forest fire in Sao Famalicao da Serra, central Portugal -- July, 2005: A fire in Guadalaraja, central Spain, caused 11 volunteer firefighters deaths and burned 13,000 hectares -- January, 2005: Nine people died and dozens were injured in the worst forest fire in Australia in 20 years. Eighty thousand hectares go up in smoke -- May, 2004: Forest fires killed nine people, burned 5,000 hectares of forest and destroyed nearly 400 homes in the Russian region of Kurgan, east of the Urals -- October, 2003: Forest fires devastated California, killing 22 people, including two in Mexico. In fourteen days 300,000 hectares burnt, 100,000 people were evacuated, and 3,576 homes were destroyed. -- August, 2003: More than 36,000 hectares were destroyed in the west and southwest of Spain, as five people from the same family died in the flames -- April, 2003: Major forest fires burned through the Siberian region east of Lake Baikal, destroying 36,000 hectares. A fire-fighting helicopter crashed, killing 13, including four journalists. -- January, 2003: Numerous suburbs of Canberra, Australia's capital, went up in flames during a month-long effort to try and put the fires out. Four people died and 530 houses were destroyed, while 80,000 hectares burnt in Victoria province. --August, 2000: The western United States was ravaged by multiple blazes over one month, killing 13 people and burning 560,000 hectares The worst three fires ever recorded occurred over three continents: -- May, 1987: China sustained its worst fire in recent history, killing 119, injuring 102, and leaving 51,000 homeless -- August, 1949: Eighty-two firefighters died in southwest France -- October, 1871: Between 800 and 1,200 people died in Peshtigo, Wisconsin, in the northern United States when a forest fire swept through the area, destroying the town of 17,000 residents and ravaging 16 other villages. More than 500,000 hectares were burnt. Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links Forestry News - Global and Local News, Science and Application
ASEAN urged to muster political will to deal with forest fire haze
Singapore (AFP) Aug 20, 2007Southeast Asian leaders were urged Monday to muster the political will to tackle the problem of forest fire haze that blankets the region regularly during their summit in Singapore later this year. |
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