Thursday, December 2, 2010

Fire rages out of control in Carmel Forest

I'm afraid to go to sleep. I'm afraid of what the news will be tomorrow morning.
Forty people have already been killed: A bus full of trainees for the prison service, caught in the inferno. I can only hope for them that it was quick and that they were overcome by smoke and didn't feel the flames. The news is saying that they were mostly from the Druze community, a small community, what a catastrophe for that community, and for all of us!
Three police personnel are in critical condition and others are missing, unaccounted for.
Thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes. If they need volunteers to host those families, I think we'll volunteer. Where will they put so many people anyway?
They've run out of whatever it is they use to stop the fire - it isn't water - and the fire is still raging.
The Carmel forests are gone.
Cypress, Greece, Croatia, France, Russia, and one other country- didn't catch who -- are sending help. Even Egypt and Jordan have offered. We didn't ask Turkey, considering the circumstances. But Turkey is sending two helicopters anyway. Well, we helped them out when they had their earthquake, and we don't have a bone to pick with most Turks. It is encouraging that all these countries are willing to help. It is so encouraging. i was sure they all hated us and would enjoy watching us suffer.
We've been sitting in front of the TV for 4-5 hours watching the news. We haven't been glued to the TV like this since 9/11. There hasn't been a single commercial.
This is a national catastrophe and I'm afraid to go to sleep because I'm afraid to wake up to hear the full extent of it.