Well, we've had a good run. It's been a solid innings all round, but it seems that the inevitable has arrived; the days of living organisms being able to survive on this increasingly parched and arid earth are now, very evidently, numbered. I'm sure we all have our opinions on what constitutes the high points from the existence of life on this earth. Personally, I'd say the stand-out moments over the, approximately, 3.8 billion years of life on earth has to be the initial transition of marine life onto land; the development of the human brain, and the invention of the bean-bag - for my money, the greatest seating solution ever devised by man. But unfortunately we, as a species, can't be trusted with nice things eg. harmoniously co-existing in a delicate ecosystem - and it has become inescapably clear that the damage we have wrought on this planet has tipped it beyond a thermal brink that will culminate in the extinction of all life as we know it.
The wild-fires. It feels like over the last few months countries have only entered the news cycle because they are on fire. The arctic circle in Norway and Sweden was on fire, California's on fire. Parts of Australia were on fire. Greece was terribly, terribly on fire. Portugal is right now, no matter what way you look at it, being slowly rendered into a charred inhospitable husk, by fire.
The wild-fires that have been racking the Algarve, and other parts of Portugal, are a terrifying tragedy, allusive of the seemingly unstoppable climactic shifts that have been engendered by human activity. However if you want to narrow the focus to a more local and selfish level, they are devastating because they are a major holiday destination for Irish and British people.
The Portugese Prime Minster, Antonio Costa, has said that he expects it will be several days before the fires that have broken out across the Algarve, as Portugal swelters under a record-breaking heatwave, can be brought under control. He attributes this both to the arid conditions that have persisted making the spread of wildfire so likely, and to the efforts of firefighters being hindered by strong winds and the region's testing topography.
All of this has resulted in vast quantities of smoke and ash being cast into the sky over Southern Portugal, turning the sky a vibrant shade of -what I'm sure would be described in any self-respecting Dulux paint chart as somewhere between - 'Apocalyptic Red' and 'If-The-Sky-Is-This-Colour-These-Are-The-End-Times-Orange'.
An Irish DJ, Frankie Beats, visiting the town of Albufeira in the region posted photos and videos to social media documenting the horrifying changes that have been wrought on the sky by the soot from the nearby fires.
We’re all getting very worried here in Albufera now as it’s on our doorstep. #PortugalFires pic.twitter.com/V3yBjU17bL
— Radio Frankie (@shanleyfrankie) August 8, 2018
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Like all self-respecting natural disasters it caused the local wildlife to go absolutely haywire, including making these seagulls forget where the sea was, obfuscating their whole raison d'etre. For without the sea, what else do seagulls have to define themselves?
The seagulls are so freaked out there all coming ashore.. pic.twitter.com/k4g7u65qj4
— Radio Frankie (@shanleyfrankie) August 8, 2018
Aside from causing various local seabirds to have existential identity crises, it also undoubtedly terrified the inhabitants of, and visitors to, the town, given that some 2,500 people have already had to be evacuated due to the fires.
However, the sky soon cleared again after a change in the wind took the cloud away from the town
Update:The wind is now blowing the opposite direction today blowing smoke away so skies are clear once again over Albufera. #PortugalFires pic.twitter.com/c5HpEp9Rqb
— Radio Frankie (@shanleyfrankie) August 9, 2018
If you are in, or are planning on traveling to, Portugal keep checking the Department of Foreign Affairs website for up to date travel information concerning the dangers of the situation.
