Fire on Hydra

[lizzytysh]

You're right, Dem... I did take note of Hydriot's comment about the ghastly dump. I was going to comment on it, but then fire burning trees in extremely dry conditions due to excessive heat turned me toward Mother Nature.

I guess this is one of the same mayors who has made it so difficult for Takis to care for the cats. My last day there on my first trip, I found a still very useable, thin Greek rug that someone had thrown out [only one stain where a potted plant had sat] and asked Takis if he had something to cut it up into sections to place under the bushes and other out-of-the-way places for the cats to lie upon. He said there was no point in doing that, as the mayor would be sure they were gathered up and disposed of, the same as had been done with the non-intrusive cardboard shelters he had created for the cats. This was in the large, rather secluded courtyard where he goes every morning and evening to feed them, and they would not have been an eyesore for the public or even the locals. He was visibly upset by the uncaring actions and attitude of the mayor toward the cats. So, I took the Greek rug back to my room, put it in my suitcase, and brought it home.


~ Lizzy

[Paula]

This is so terrible. The world's weather is in complete upheavel. Do we know what started it was it just dryness or was it human error.

[jarkko]

According to HydraDirect.com

24-Jul-07 - At about four in the afternoon fire broke out at the rubbish dump on the east side of Mandraki harbour on Hydra Island.

[lizzytysh]

Yes, Paula, and this is very sad, too:

"The beautiful bay of Limnioniza was not so lucky.
Reports are that the fire raged right down to the beach
itself and has even turned the umbrellas to cinders."

I'm glad they are showing photos of the heroes. Three days and nights of fighting the horrors of fire without sleep is grueling. The scene of the bottom photo has got to be horrific for those on Hydra to be seeing. Those poor unprepared and unequipped men have to be able to work very fast to make any difference at all.

Is that "broke out" as in spontaneous combustion? I guess the point would be that if the accumulation weren't there, there wouldn't be the threat of it breaking out. I was thinking that at least some of the refuse, packed into those 'cleanly' white bags got transported back to the mainland for disposal. Apparently not?

I see an untitled photo of what appears to be either an outdoor incinerator or outdoor fireplace. I'm wondering if it's a picture taken at the dumpsite or showing how close the fire has come to something else.

So much we take for granted .


~ Lizzy

[Laura]

Damn, the fire photos are horrible even just to look at. I can't imagine being there. I haven't even been to Limnioniza... was dreaming to see it next time.

About the man in the second photo-is he the handsome waiter who was a bit too... long? Definitely that laughing and happy day seems far now.
Laura

[sandie chalmers]

Hi I have recently found this sight.Devastated to read about Hydra it's my favourite place in the world . Was last there a couple of years ago.Hope everyone is safe and damage minimal.
Sandie

[Metaxia]

Made it!!: http://www.hydradirect.com/day_four_fire_out

27-Jul-07 - It is with great relief that we can confirm that the fires on Hydra have been extinguished. From about 13:00 all stations on the island reported no new outbreaks and the planes and helicopters ceased dropping. During the afternoon we experienced electricity cuts and the phones and comms lines were out as well, just while the repairs to damaged lines could be completed. The professional firemen and their engines have departed and Hydra has been officially declared "back to normal".

Around the island, particularly the interior, there are still smouldering patches that are being damped down and a constant watch is being kept but generally this episode can be said to have closed although over the next couple of days you might still see helicopters dropping water on the back of the island as a precaution. The final extent of the area damaged by the fire is approximately two thirds of the island but none of the main inhabited areas, Hydra Town, Kamini, Kiaffa, Vlichos and Palamitha, have been touched and today people arriving in the harbour with the dolphins would not notice anything amiss. However a walk up to the monasteries and over the hills shows a different picture. There are still patches of forest left above Kamini and at the western end of Hydra, the forest around Molos, Bisti and Agios Nikolaous are still intact and unaffected.

Rumours and conspiricy theories abound but we think that common sense dictates that in a place where the temperatures sore to the mid forties in blinding sunlight, on to rubbish that is thrown into an open dump where lots of glass is scattered around, it is only a matter of time before the reflective action with result in a fire. Rather than cast around for a scapegoat to blame, it would be better to lobby the municipality to have the rubbish dump made safer and more environmentally sound.

And finally to round off the coverage of the 2007 fire of Hydra, we again say thank you to the wonderful people who worked so tirelessly to save as much of the island as they have.

[Quote added by Jarkko]

[lizzytysh]

Thanks for this Metaxia. I've been checking the Hydra paper through the links in this thread, but having your link with the conclusion within it, was able to just go straight to the latest news.

This is a very comprehensive, well-written report. It's very satisfying, leaving the reader with no big questions. Thank G~d no one was hurt or killed and that Hydra remains essentially intact, even though 2/3 is a huge amount. It will take time, but the forests and meadows will regrow. In fires like this, I always feel for the animals, but at least many had somewhere to run to escape the burning.

It felt so good seeing the harbour photo with the fire truck departing.


~ Lizzy

[Metaxia]

Thanks for adding the quote, Jarkko! I wasn´t quite sure how it works, but I think, I just figured it out. Great website, by the way! Haven´t posted here much, but I´m checking it out regularly.

[Dem]

Just saw a report from Hydra
on a TV channel here.

Thankfully the fire has been put out
and the complete disaster has been
avoided.

Oh yeah, the mayors were on camera
(the ex and the present one) telling
their bullshits!

The locals said that it was the fifth time
that a fire started from the rubbish dump
this summer but this time they were not
able to contain it quickly as the other four
ones!

Dem

[KelseyHydraDirect]

Hello Leonard Cohen Fans

Thank you for your appreciation of the articles I wrote on HydraDirect.com about the fire on Hydra. It's nice to know that people found it informative and comforting. My apologies though about the number of untitled images - I got a bit carried away with the camera and there are soooo many of them and not enough time - but I will label them asap.

Those of you who love Hydra as much as I do, please do me a favour over the coming months and start adding your thoughts and comments to the forum on HydraDirect.com (the good, the bad and the controversial please). Now into it's eighth year, the site is being read not just by visitors to the island but by the local residents as well and by both mayors (ex/new/old/past whatever you wish to call either of them), and is being taken notice of a lot more. As a result of the fire bringing it sharply into focus, I am putting up a forum to discuss what can be done about the dump at Mandraki. My intention being to lobby for changes.

But for now to answer some of your questions.

No churches or monasteries were burned. But quite a few properties at Episcopi didn't make it. Most of the west end of the island (Kamini, Molos, Bisti, Ag Nik) is fine and unaffected.

Yes Hydriots and any European residents on the island vote for the party of their choice at elections. However, European residents must register annually to go on the list (they weren't notified of this in time for the last election so many didn't get the opportunity to do so) and the Greeks can choose where they vote. Anastopoulos (the man who was mayor for 12 years) obtained the majority of his votes in the last election from rich Athenians who come to the island for holidays and long weekends. The majority of real Hydriots (the ones who live here year round) were firmly behind the Kotronis party. However it was a very very close count. It seems fairly likely that after the numerous court hearings, that Anastopoulos will be back in the municipality, but when is anyone's guess. "It could be Monday" was the last reply I received - but which Monday wasn't specified!

And the man in the Green T-Shirt is Fanis Mavromatis who you will see at the Enalion Restaurant in Vlichos - he's one of the owners though not a waiter!

Tomorrow I am walking to Mandraki to start working up articles for the lobby and to take photos of the damage, I'll post them on HydraDirect.com asap.

Again many thanks for your interest and please don't hesitate to ask if you have questions or observations. All help and encouragement will be appreciated.

Regards

Kelsey

[Dem]

Dear Kelsey
thanks for keeping us informed about
the fire on Hydra.

Ιf the locals want any changes just start with
this:
Take Anastopoulos and Kotronis and
throw them on the dump!

But the locals are as well responsible
for this unacceptable situation on the island.

On this very cosmopolitan and very expensive
island!

Dem

[jarkko]

Dear Kelsey
welcome to The Forum! We have been horrified by the fires, and very relieved to hear that the danger is over now. Your website HydraDirect has been a priceless channel of information in this, and it has a lot of valuable information about everything that is happening on Hydra!

We have another recent thread about Hydra on this Forum, "Save Hydra". Yoy will find it at
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=6676
It's about the new housing plans first proposed by Richard Branson (and now developed by another group of people). It would be interesting to hear how the Hydriots feel about it!

All the best
Jarkko

[KelseyHydraDirect]

Hi Jarkko

Thanks for the welcome.

I'll definately be researching the in's and out's of the problems surrounding the question of waste disposal on Hydra and will publish my findings on HydraDirect.com though where it will have wider exposure to the Hydriot audience. No insult to your forum intended though because it's excellent and inspired me to revamp the one on the island site!

Warm regards to you and Eija

Kelsey

[KelseyHydraDirect]

Hi Dem

I sincerely hope over the coming months that you will join the HydraDirect forum for the Mandraki Dump discussion.

I look forward to seeing you there.

Warm Regards - Kelsey