Portugal Fire Damage Before and After
I went to Portugal 2 weeks ago to complete the purchase of a 2.25 acre (.9 hectare) property. Unfortunately while I was there, fires ravaged much of the country including my place.
Fortunately the only permanent property damage was to the caravan which burned down. The more troubling damage was to Nikki's psyche. She is afraid to spend a night there any time in the future for fear of another fire starting.
These two were taken at a nearby friends house about 8-12 before the fire reached us.
As night came on you could start to see the glow of the flames over the horizon.
on the horizon.
We were able to evacuate a couple hours before the fire came through (although that was a close call too). This is what we came back to.
Despite the loss, we were still lucky. We remained safe, and the building on the property was already a ruin. Others were not so lucky.
These homes in a nearby village burned and overall more that 100 people died in Portuguese fires this year.
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I understand the trauma. I once lived in a place which got flooded because of terrible rain. I was woken in the middle of the night by water wetting my bed! Water receded the following day, and I had a trench dug in the garden to prevent disaster to happen again, but it was difficult to find sleep for a few days after that.
Wow, that is scary @countryfree . I think that once the immediate danger has subsided, preparation is the best thing you can do. I hope the trench does the trick in the long term.
Well, that happened years ago. I left that place, and the trench worked while I was still there. Not long ago, I was surprised to see the all the houses in that area have been destroyed, replaced by a new large building. I suppose rainwater problems have been better thought of...
Timing seems to be everything! Living in California we have become super fire sensitive and precautionary. Mother nature is shouting out louder than ever, "Wake up, humanity!!"
They seem very cognisant in some ways ( you get fined if you don't clear the dry grasses, or dead branches), but they fail in other ways like letting trees grow up right next to the road. This makes the road less of a firebreak and creates a danger of burning trees falling onto the road.
Climate change is def having a huge effect on this as well.
What a disaster, thank God it is not more than this. Well done for clean photo.
Thank you @princeso .
this looks very sad ..
Thanks @bobinson. It is sad, especially for the Portuguese who have lost so much more. But people are good at rebuilding homes and lives.
we also lost as humanity and that will take time effort than rebuilding the homes .. :( all those trees and plants and i was reading few days back that the number of flying insects etc are going down.
We definitely need to learn as a species how to have a less negative impact on the world around us.
So sorry to hear about the fire, but am glad that you are ok.
Thank you @unomas I really appreciate that. :)
I have been watching and reading about these fires, Portugal has been hit quiet bad this year. I can't imagine what it must have felt like driving back to your land after the fires and then seeing your property. Well done for remaining positive through it and keeping on that note the ash from the fire will make your land more fertile. It's alot to go through though and thanks for sharing.
Thanks @truucklife-family . We visited in the spring also, probably a month before the other fires. Even though they have had fires before it is very rare to have fatalities and so much destruction. This year has been a catastrophe for them. Hopefully they will study the problems and make changes to mitigate the damage of future fires.
Such a shame that nature has to be destroyed like that! We all have to wake up and see what is happening in the world today with all of the disasters that are going on. Thanks for sharing :)
But fire is a natural method of clearing excessive brush to make way for new growth. In Australia, fire brings forth new seeds.
Definitely true. It will save me from clearing a lot of brambles. But only if my wife can get through the emotional trauma and agree to return. We shall see.
@danpaulson nature's fury can be tough to overcome, especially when it is unleashed at home. I recently spent six months cleaning up from flood damage. I have a beautiful meandering rainforest creek down my boundary - but whoa! when it's in full flood. So I sympathise :) My next home will be in a high-rise where someone else does the maintenance. Good luck getting your wife to return, and your place back in order, and thank you for your response :)
Lol, from rainforest creek to no maintenance high rise. That would be quite a transition. Disasters are no fun (obv), I'm glad you made it through yours safely, and that the cleanup is over.
Maybe not a high-rise. I picked out a townhouse on a corner, on a hill, with balconies. It feels like no neighbours :)
I totally agree @theinspirator .
I agree. Just shame animals get killed and not good for the environment :)
Hopefully all will be okey soon!
Thanks @mrseventeen . Things generally work themselves out. I think it will be all good in time.
So sorry for everyone involved in those fires, including you. It's amazing how fast fires can travel in the right conditions. I hope your area greens up with the rains and that people can figure out how to make their areas more resistant and resilient to fire.
Thanks so much @haphazard-hstead .
Hermoso lugar. Que tristeza después del incendio. Gracias por compartir @danpaulson
Gracias por tu comentario. Será hermoso de nuevo.