Forest Fires in Ethiopia: 7 March 2000
7 March 2000
The International Fire Emergency Advisory Group yesterday (6 March 2000) presented its findings and recommendations to the international community (represented by embassies and UN agencies in Addis Abeba) and the media. The recommendations remained basically the same as published on yesterday’s GFMC update.
Today the international fire response team was formed. A fire spotter plane is airborne and on its way from South Africa to Ethiopia. The 4 airborne fire fighter crews from South Africa will arrive earliest by tomorrow 8 March 2000 or depending on clearances by government institutions.
Ethiopia expects additional assistance from foreign countries, particularly hand tools (backpack pumps from Germany and Canada).
The Ethiopian National Fire Fighting Committee, supported by the International Fire Emergency Advisory Group, has set up an Incident Command System. The structure of the system is given in the chart (Fig.1).
Fig.1. Structure of the Incident Command System
The update information by satellite sensors is provided by imageries of the U.S. Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP), which show the development of the fires since 3 – 6 March. The red dots represent active fires. Land signature: brown; water: blue; clouds: grey; stable lights (cities): cyan.
Fig.2-5 DMSP scenes of East Africa, 3 – 6 March 2000.
(upper left corner 20 N, 22 E lower right corner 0 N, 50 E
(source: DMSP)
Fig.6-9 DMSP closeup scenes of the Bale region and Borana , 3 – 6 March 2000.
(upper left corner 9 N, 38 E lower right corner 5 N, 42 E)
(source: DMSP)
Fig.10-13 DMSP closeup scenes of the Bale region and Borana , 3 – 6 March 2000.
(upper left corner 9 N, 38 E lower right corner 5 N, 42 E)
(source: DMSP)
