burning their bridges

[Guest]

Those guys were down our road the other week with their red flags and throwing the planets resource of chippings all over the road expecting us to flatten it with our cars They've blown the council tax on the latest fad of wheelie bins and green bins, yellow bins etc. and they can't remember which day to collect them so the neighbour hood is a multicoloured junk yard with lids blown everywhere and cats and dogs having a field day Thats progress

[cowboy]

The world is a very much more complicated place than some people seem to think. It is not just a matter of
a) there is a fire.
b) all the topsoil ends up in a river.
It depends on the type of soil, the type of fire, the slope of the ground, the type of rain, the intensity of rain. In addition effects can be mollified by straw bales, logs etc etc. Seeds can be sown, binders can help to hold the soil.

Of course, if you prefer the 'we are all going to die' scenario, so be it

The world is a very much more complicated place than some people seem to think.

So true.

It depends on the type of soil, the type of fire, the slope of the ground, the type of rain, the intensity of rain.

Also true.

It is not just a matter of
a) there is a fire.
b) all the topsoil ends up in a river.

Well......that is the end result.
All the factors you mentioned only affect the degree of the erosion.

In addition effects can be mollified by straw bales, logs etc etc. Seeds can be sown, binders can help to hold the soil.

Yes, if the government has the will and the resorces to act quickly.

Of course, if you prefer the 'we are all going to die' scenario, so be it

Don't be silly. we're not all going to die......only some of us.

[cowboy]

There is a tendency to exaggerate, mostly for reasons like 'I can get a grant to do a spot of research'. I know the fires are very bad, but about 1% of the country has been burnt this year. This means that 99% hasn't. So saying things like 'in an inland region that is completely burnt' is irresponsible to put it mildly.
'vegetation might grow, but the capacity for creation of wealth on the land is lost, and might only recover in 10, 20 or 30 years. '

a) It will grow, I'm surprised how quickly stuff grows back.
b) If the vegetation has grown. then you can farm can't you, I know the fires are very bad, but about 1% of the country has been burnt this year. This means that 99% hasn't. So saying things like 'in an inland region that is completely burnt' is irresponsible to put it mildly.
c) Grass doesn't take 10, 20 , 30 to grow does it? Would oaks survive a fire going past quickly? Possibly. Eucalyptus won't, but that is a good thing. Horrible things.

Pm, you have a point when it comes to the Press.
The Press tends to over-hype everything these days.
(Just ask George Bush about the Press coverage of Iraq)

However, fires, as dramatic as they are on the telly, are only part of the problems Portugal faces.
(nation wide drougth is the biggie)

If the vegetation has grown. then you can farm can't you

Not if the "productive" layer (the layer of topsoil that you can grow crops on) is eroded away.
( for whatever reason)

Vegetation can grow on the thinist of soils, wheat, for instance, can't....the land that can grow wheat, or any other food crop, is called "Productive" land...any other land is "Grass Land" and it stops the soil from eroding even further.....and it may provide enough for your live stock to forage, but you can't plant crops there a long while.

It all depends on how much topsoil is washed (or blown) away.