Attention aux feux Traditional Geocache
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Size: 
(small)
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This cache has been placed for the event GC4VGJM 4 august 2014
Forest and macchia fire
Every year, thousands of hectares (one hectare is 2.4711 acres) of wood and macchia go up in flames in Corsica. Estimates are that about 10% of the fires start themselves, while 90% are started by carelessness and arson. Herdsmen root out new pastureland, tourists throw away burning stubs, and some campers start camp fires despite of the total prohibition. Sometimes hunters stir up wild boars with fire.
For several years the Corsican people didn't care much about forest and macchia fires as long as they don't get close to settlements - that's not unconcern but realism. But there has been a great movement to protect the forest and the macchia. Now a days the Corsican people has several plans to protect the forest. They are trying to use other trees in the forest and not alone the Corsican pine tree. When a pine tree is burning it will burn in the hearth of the tree.This means that after days the fire can start up again. A big problem. These monoculture is going to change. On several places other trees are planted. A great job that can only be done with help from the EEG
To fight the fires, and the terrain is mostly impassable, so extinguishing is limited to aircrafts. The old "Canadair" aircrafts are expensive toys, one flight hour costs about 5.000€! These old rattletraps are fueled with petrol, not kerosine, and they consume quite a lot of it; their capacity is limited to 5,300 liters (1400 US gallons) of water. For the pilots, it's a hard job to do: the cockpits are not air-conditioned, and they don't have instruments that would allow them to navigate in the smoke.
Now a day they are using special vehicles. In summer times you can see the fire fighters standing in the shadow waiting to do there job. Waiting to protect nature from burning completely. Waiting to protect everybody from the hughe flames. It is a hard job. Waiting and working in the heat.
The fires are the main reason why camping is generally prohibited in Corsica (except for camping sites and near refuges). It is not only to stop people from starting camp fires but to have them sleep in places where they can be found and rescued in case of an incoming fire.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
haqre fgbarf, fbhf qrf cvreerf