Sadly, my post the other day about the value of using blogging in a crisis is being supported by bloggers on Grand Canary where a huge fire is underway.
MADRID, Spain(IHT): A forest ranger has confessed to setting a huge and fast-growing fire in the Canary Islands, saying his job contract was about to run out and he wanted to keep working, the Civil Guard said Sunday.
The blaze that began Friday in a mountainous area on the island of Gran Canary has now charred 3,500 hectares (8,750 acres) of ecologically rich land, most of it top-quality pine trees.
About 100 firefighters are battling the blaze in difficult conditions of extremely hot weather and low humidity. Many areas on fire are in rough terrain that is hard to reach.
Police arrested the ranger, identified as 37-year-old Juan Antonio Navarro Armas, on Saturday and he later confessed to setting the fire with matches, the Civil Guard said in a statement.
Navarro Armas's three-month job contract was to expire Sept. 30, and he said he set the fire hoping the work would lead authorities to extend his contract, the police statement said.
The link is to a composite site, called Planeta Canaris, where a group are keeping up the news. Luis Suarez (elusa) Twitters here.
Again a service that probably will emerge naturally now in any community, but what if a Local TV or Radio station had the template and Twittered at the same time? Would this not be public information at its best?
