Word: forester
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Though aerial firefighting is effective, especially in rugged areas, it's also extremely expensive. The U.S. Forest Service spent nearly $300 million battling blazes from the sky in 2007. According to a report by the Los Angeles Times, it cost $368,645 to operate a single heavy-lift helicopter for one week during a recent fire (though choppers have a smaller capacity than large tanker planes, they're more maneuverable and can also ferry personnel and equipment). The cost of the retardant itself adds up as well; the Phos-Chek slurry used by Cal Fire costs about $2 per gallon...
...forestry experts say more planes alone won't be enough to prevent major fires in Greece and other fire-prone countries along Europe's Mediterranean rim. Marc Palahi, head of the Mediterranean office of the European Forest Institute (EFI) in Barcelona, says climate change is making fires in the region more frequent and more deadly, but governments won't be able to tackle them effectively if they keep pouring money into firefighting rather than tackling the root causes. "Every year it's the same problem," he says. "We're just crossing our fingers and hoping the weather will be mild...
...Since Aug. 21, Greeks have watched in horror as walls of fire have sped toward heavily populated villages and suburbs on the fringes of Athens. Tens of thousands of people have temporarily fled their homes, and more than 37,000 acres of land - including some of the last forest near the capital city - has gone up in smoke. At least 150 homes have been damaged, although, so far, there have been no casualties. (See pictures of Greece's wildfires...
...Environmental groups in Greece complain that in the wake of the 2007 fires, there have been no substantial education initiatives or forestry work. They also blame land developers for setting fires to clear land, especially in the heavily populated areas near Athens. Greece bans building in forest areas but has no official record of which areas are protected, along with a poor record of enforcing the ban in areas devastated by fire...
...there's never been a fire like this here before," he says. "It's not just about the olive trees or how we're going to make a living. It's about the loss of the forest, the wildlife. We grew up here and we love this place...