Easter Island brush fire.

On CNN today. Beyond sad.

I venture to say that this is probably a bit of typical media hyperbole. Never a flood without an "inundation"? Never a fire without a "conflagration"? Never a protest without an "insurrection"? The media just love buzz-words.

Those same statues have been there for quite some time and I seriously doubt that it's the very first fire they have been through. Lightning strikes of course, but humans often burned the grass, either intentionally or by accident. The moai have fallen over in many cases, or been deliberately toppled and yet still they remain. They are after all, made of very solid rock! Besides, it looks like a small grass fire, there being no significant forestation near them. The sort of thing here in Australia we'd probably piss out! Nothing short of some serious explosives would "permanently" damage them.

[ Edited by TIKIGIKI on 2022-10-08 21:13:56 ]

conflagra What?

Had to look that one up, need to get one o those word a day calendars.

Missed that one need to watch more CNN, Er No. CNN likes the statues because the statues also lean to the left.

It's matches and lighters, they need to go and are a danger to mankind.

When I first saw this I did think man isn't that place mostly a barren and rocky landscape.

[ Edited by tikiskip on 2022-10-09 06:38:40 ]

A quote from the NYT coverage of the story: Ariki Tepano, the director of the Indigenous Ma’u Henua community, which manages Rapa Nui National Park, described the damage as “irreparable and with consequences beyond what your eyes can see.” The statues, he added, “are totally burned.”

TikiHardBop thank you for following up with a direct source. I would imagine that there have been many fires in the past 500 years, but overall circumstances can change the outcome. I hope it's not as bad as they think.

“irreparable and with consequences beyond what your eyes can see.” The statues, he added, “are totally burned.”

Can somebody find a picture of a "totally burned” statue out there?

I did do a quick look and could only find what looked like a statue that might have one side burned.

It's odd that there is not one photo of burned statues in a news piece about the burned statues. Or like video of the roaring blaze as it raged on.

Do hope they are ok but this looks like it could be a bit of a never let a tragedy go to waste funds raiser.

Damn all that is around those statues is a bit of grass how hot can a fire from that get?

Did see where it might have been a volcano eruption, then I saw where they don't know how the fire started.

All I ask is to see one "totally burned statue" with “irreparable and with consequences beyond what your eyes can see.” So was this an underground fire, like volcano?

I think there may be concern to be had. One source quoted an official saying they had already discovered cracks on some moai from the heat. Remember, rocks are not always just rock, there's usually a good bit of water and other stuff trapped in there, especially volcanic rock!

I think this article below from ABC/& the Associated Press has some more useful facts than the others I read.

https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/chile-easter-island-fire-damages-statues-91210753

If 20% of the hundred moai in an area of the volcano were affected, we are talking about 20 moai.

The island has 800 moai. So this is a small percentage overall, but still significant.

That article calls it a "forest fire". Even the pics show what is obviously a grass fire. They tend to burn quickly and pass just a swiftly. But yes, nowadays there are a few groups of trees that have been planted since the island was completely deforested by the Rapa Nui, but they are not really anywhere near the stands of moai. Besides, how do you burn such a heavy stone statue? They are not made of some flimsy crumbly sandstone or alabaster. Unless somebody immediately poured a lot of very cold water onto the heated rock the statues would remain pretty much the same as they have for centuries. Maybe a little blackened by smoke but that would be all. Perhaps the "curator" is seeking international restoration funds to boost the coffers?

Found the exact Moa where the fire actually was.....

There was reportedly some fat spatter on the Moa........it may need a clean.

[ Edited by TIKIGIKI on 2022-10-11 22:27:25 ]

A bit of a follow up with some good news.

Seems that climate change dried up a lake bed and the brush at the bottom dried out and burned off to expose one and possibly more previously undiscovered Moai statues!

https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/living/video/ancient-sculpture-discovered-easter-island-97487812

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_3GenCdPfo

Fire mentioned in the YouTube vid at 0:53...

I'm not a big morning person but I caught some of the Good Morning America segment (reposted on YouTube) where they sent Michael Strahan to the island to check it out.

So it's "an ill wind".....or fire in this case?

nowadays there are a few groups of trees that have been planted since the island was completely deforested by the Rapa Nui

Point of order: The most current archaeological evidence indicates that the Rapa Nui did not actively deforest the island, but rather stowaway Polynesian rats, which had no natural predators, multiplied rapidly on the island and devoured seeds and seedlings. The Rapa Nui did engage in some deforestation to clear cropland but not at a rate sufficient to wipe out all the trees on the island. There are areas on the Hawaiian islands were similar rat-driven deforestation has been documented historically.

Those damned rats have a lot to answer for throughout history!

History has shown us that the masses can be persuaded to do many strange and apparently self-destructive things, it does seem unlikely that any tribe would not notice the trees becoming very scarce, but then still cut down the remaining few.

[ Edited by TIKIGIKI on 2023-03-04 21:34:22 ]