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Fire Bugs: They’re war criminals, not arsonists

It has been revealed that 24 scumbags have intentionally started bushfires in Australia, that 180 have been involved.

The World Court need to stop viewing crimes against the environment as property crime and treat it as a crime against humanity and nature. If destroying “history and culture” is a war crime, why not also destroying land, air and ocean, for making it uninhabitable and unable to sustain life?

24 charged with intentionally setting Australia bushfires

As Australia battles bushfires that have cost more than than two dozen lives, thousands of homes and other structures, and millions of dollars, police have charged at least 24 people for allegedly setting some of those fires intentionally.

The New South Wales Police Force says it has taken legal action against more than 180 people for 205 bushfire-related offenses since November 8, 2019.

Among the 180 who face legal actions, 24 are accused of deliberately setting fires. Fifty-three are people who allegedly failed to comply with a total fire ban, and 47 allegedly discarded lit cigarettes or matches.

Selfish smokers are partially responsible.  Colour me unsurprised.  That’s how the Notre Dame fire happened.

Environmental crimes should be prosecuted the same as war crimes. This isn’t arson, this is Chernobyl and Bhopal.

The Stars Look Down: Neil Peart, dead at 67 » « Data Mine: Never ascribe to malice….

Comments

  1. Dunc says

    If you’re not already aware of it, you will probably be interested in the Stop Ecocide campaign, which is attempting to secure exactly that change to international law.

    • says

      It’s good to know there is already a movement. But knowing corrupt corporations, they’ll fight tooth and nail to limit prosecutions to individuals without money or lawyers. Vis a vis:

      * Individuals pouring oil down storm drains, not oil companies after oil spills (re: Exxon)
      * Smokers, not tobacco companies
      * Farmers who improperly dispose of waste, not industrial firms

  2. says

    Firebugs are some of the worst people on the planet and deserve any level of punishment they get. Worse however are the right wing misinformation brokers who blame firebugs, greenies and other made up enemies as the sole reason for the current fire situation. Fire chiefs are understandably upset by this trash are now speaking out. When 98% of the fires start by natural means like dry lightning, the blame goes back to the right wing government and its backers. The fire authorities had foreseen this disaster and pleaded with all levels of government for adequate funding to fight the fires as they start. Tin ears in the government ignored their pleas and cut funding instead. Now they are in damage control and are offering token amounts of assistance, when it’s already too late. These are the true criminals who deserve nothing less than dropping straight into the heart of the biggest fires. For the sake of the country and indeed the world these criminals must be removed from power ASAP.

    • says

      French Investigators: Notre Dame fire either cigarettes or short circuit

      A report on smoking and fires from UC Davis:

      Based on a worldwide study of smoking-related fire and disaster data, UC Davis epidemiologists show smoking is a leading cause of fires and death from fires globally, resulting in an estimated cost of nearly $7 billion in the United States and $27.2 billion worldwide in 1998. The study is published in the August issue of Preventive Medicine.

      Fires cause 1 percent of the global burden of disease and 300,000 deaths per year worldwide. Fire disasters destroy cities, families, workplaces, workers and wildlands and have an enormous impact on human health, the environment and society. Smoking causes an estimated 30 percent of fire deaths in the United States and 10 percent of fire deaths worldwide. Each year, over one billion smokers throughout the world light over 6 trillion cigarettes, creating a potential source of ignition from cigarette butts and from cigarette lighters and matches that fall into the hands of young children.

      From the US National Parks Service:

      Nearly 85 percent* of wildland fires in the United States are caused by humans. Human-caused fires result from campfires left unattended, the burning of debris, equipment use and malfunctions, negligently discarded cigarettes, and intentional acts of arson.

      *Source: 2000-2017 data based on Wildland Fire Management Information (WFMI) and U.S. Forest Service Research Data Archive

      • Kreator says

        Confirmation bias from the zealot. I’m not even a fan of smokers myself and I can see past your irrational fanaticism.