Editor’s note: Climate Realism has covered the issue of wildfire and climate change several times, noting specifically that satellite data shows wildfires globally have declined substantially since 1978. To the extent wildfires in recent years have modestly increased from what they were in the 1990s in some places, like the Western United States, as explained in multiple Climate Realism stories, here, here, here, and here, for example, the reason is largely due to changed forest management policies, increased urban incursion into formerly wild forested areas historically prone to wildfires, and, sadly, increasingly, arson. As the guest post below explains, arson is the cause in Greece as well.
Guest essay by Charles Rotter.
In the midst of Greece’s devastating wildfires, it’s government and every screeching alarmist in the world tried to blame the fires on Climate Change, it’s become clear that human agency that’s the root cause of most of these fires.
Greek Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Vassilis Kikilias, informs us that, “During this time 667 fires erupted, that is more than 60 fires a day, almost all over the country. Unfortunately, the majority were ignited by human hand, either by criminal negligence or intent.”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jul/28/greece-fires-arsonists-extreme-weather
While governments, media, “climate scientists”, activists, (but I repeat myself) leapt to blame climate change, the fact that fires have been breaking out at numerous points in close proximity simultaneously strongly suggested deliberate human intent, not the actions of Mother Nature in the throes of a heatwave.
Yet, the climate change narrative persists. Kikilias continues,
“The difference with other years were the weather conditions. Climate change, which yielded a historic and unprecedented heatwave, is here. There were very few days where the extreme weather was not combined with strong winds.”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jul/28/greece-fires-arsonists-extreme-weather
Sure, we can acknowledge that weather conditions play a role in the spread of fires. But let’s not lose focus: these fires were started by humans. They weren’t sparked into existence by hot temperatures alone.
The UN secretary general, António Guterres, seizes the moment to call for swift action to cut planet-heating emissions, stating:
“Humanity has unleashed destruction”.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jul/28/greece-fires-arsonists-extreme-weather
Yet, it seems in this case, the ‘destruction’ is far more localized: it’s not the whole of humanity at fault, but specific individuals.
On the climate crisis bandwagon, Prof Christos Zerefos, Greece’s leading expert on atmospheric physics, warns that the situation will worsen annually due to climate change. He predicts that Greece could end up with a €700bn (£600bn) bill over the next 30 years due to the climate crisis.
Blaming climate change for every calamity removes the onus of personal responsibility. Climate change did not light these fires; people did. Governments, NGO’s, the UN, and activists are now hiding behind the arson and weather to deflect attention from their actions inducing inflation, spiraling energy prices, and poverty around the world.
We need to address immediate human factors causing damage. As we grapple with the complexities of the world, let’s remember to keep our eye on the human element that can both cause and prevent such disasters.
After all, the most effective solutions often start with individual responsibility. As the saying goes, ‘Think globally, act locally’. Perhaps it’s high time we took that advice to heart, and dealt with the flames in our own backyards before attributing them to a global inferno.
