Ἥφαιστος Enchainé
Good one, this. Only in Hellas.
- Confab in Athens to tackle aerial firefighting, first of its kind, experts from 22 countries
- Quoth Ben Drew of conf organisers Tangent Link: "What sparked the idea ... was the Greek fires of last year."
- Leading panel discussion: Chris Allen of the European's Commission's Directorate General for Enviro' Civil Protection Unit
- Confab speakers included: Deputy Commander of Athens Fire Service; Major Economou of the Hellenic Air Force and test pilot/flight instructor for Bombardier 415s
- Scientists: Professor Statheropoulos of the European Center for Forest Fires; Dr Gavriil Xanthopoulos of Nat Agricultural Research Foundation's Institute of Mediterranean Ecosystems and Forests Products Technology.
- Attendant representatives of the Greek government: 0
Ben Drew: "As the host country, and one which has had the most appalling time with forest fires, they seem to have missed the point."
I know whereof he speaks.
July 25, 2007, 1700hrs: Hacienda Corfuchsia took some heat. Roaring flames on three sides and I mean flames, roaring, not namby-pamby flickerings.
Up close and personal roaring.
Ever heard a fire roar? It has a demonic personality all its own, and it owns you.
The sheer blanket heat as it crackles and spits and builds up the venom to come at you again in the knee-level breeze, rearing up in your face.
2 comments :
"Ever heard a fire roar?" Never, and may it stay so. "...and it owns you." Some description this C! Conrad described a typhoon "...a sudden lowering of the darkness came upon the night, falling before their vision like something palpable. It was as if the masked lights of the world had been turned down..." I've been in summer gales - never anything remotely as feral as this. I like your description of the fear and panic. Now prepare to be embarrassed. Your 'mess' sounds a lot like courage - not bravado but bottle when push came to shove.
whoot, "shove-bottle come to push." i'm liking this badass baddeley cove more with every comment and goad.
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