Auf unserer zu Frankreich gehörenden Nachbarinsel La Réunion im Indischen Ozean hat ein Grossfeuer bei Maïdo, das am 25. Oktober an mehreren Stellen gleichzeitig ausbrach, rund 27 Quadratkilometer Land in einem einzigartigen Nationalpark verwüstet. Der Nationalpark von La Réunion ist ein Aushängeschild des natürlichen Reichtums der Insel. Der Park beinhaltet die Talkessel, Hochebenen und den aktiven Vulkan Piton de la Fournaise.
Richard Bouhet/AFP
Photo source
Photo: Richard Bouhet/AFP
SAINT-DENIS, Réunion — French authorities sent reinforcements Monday to battle a wildfire raging through the national park of Reunion Island, a unique ecosystem designated a World Heritage Site.
A total of 171 firefighters were to arrive on the French overseas territory in the southwestern Indian Ocean, local prefect Michel Lalande said, bringing to 400 the number of French reinforcements sent to help battle the blaze.
The fire erupted on October 25 in La Reunion National Park and according to local officials has already affected more than 2,600 hectares (6,400 acres) of land.
The park, which covers more than 100,000 hectares or 40 percent of Reunion, was last year granted World Heritage Site status by UN cultural agency UNESCO, which praised its "variety of rugged terrain and impressive escarpments, forested gorges and basins creating a visually striking landscape".
UNESCO raised concerns about the fire in a statement last week, saying it was "the worst the area has seen in 20 years."
"Key areas of endemic plants seem to be seriously affected as well as other key micro-habitats for biodiversity. Among wildlife, several rare species are under threat," UNESCO said.
French environmentalists have accused authorities of reacting too slowly to the fires.
The French Green Party on Sunday denounced "the drastically inadequate response" by state and local authorities to the fire, which it called "a true national catastrophe".
Sources:- Okokatastrophe: Feuer auf Tropeninsel La Réunion/SF 01.11.2011
- Wildfire threatens Reunion Island national park/ google news 01.11.2011
- Reunion Island devastated by worst forest fires seen in 20 years/The Extinction Protocol 01.11.2011
- Reunion Island in Fire/Vladan Seget blog End of October 2011
- Plus de 2500 hectares brûlés sur l'île de la Réunion/ tsr info 30.10.2011
- La Reunion sous les flames/Le Post 30.10.2011
- La Réunion : Incendie au Maïdo - Guéant envoie 2 bombardiers Dash/Le Post 31.10.2011 - Incendie à la Réunion : 43 personnes évacuées/Video on youtube & another video here
- more Photos of the fire here
Related:
- French Island wins World Heritage Status/02.08.2010 see also article in French
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