Australia - Black Summer

Question 1

Quick facts

Answer 1

2019-2020

Every state and Terri tor in Australia has experienced wildfires. But the biggest fires burn along the stretches of the eastern and southern coast where most of the population lives

More than 6.3 billion hectares burned down

Australia has always experienced wildfires “bushfires” - it has a fire season from April to September in the north and November to match in south

This year was a lot worse than usual - climate change

Question 2

No of deaths and homes destroyed

Answer 2

34 direct 445 indirect

2000 homes

Question 3

Short term impact (social economic environmental and political)

Answer 3

Social - emotional distress and community trauma ,

Economic - disrupted businesses, especially tourism sector - furthermore insurance claims and prices surged - hard to find places to live

Political - government had to take initiative and deploy firefighters and capital investment to control fires

Environmental

Question 4

Other long term impacts

Answer 4

Social - 2000 homes destroyed, displacing families and forcing homelessness, 500+ dead

Economic - agricultural sector affected by damaged farmland, which reduced crop yield

Political - policy shifts, calls for stronger environmental regulation such as the introduction of fire bans and other regulatory features such as commitments to reduce carbon footprint to reduce climate change

Environmental - - soil erosion, loss of biodiversity
Affecting ecological processes, 1 million animals died ( around) , polluted water sources affected tourism

Question 5

Short term response strategies (local / international)

Answer 5

Local - over 2000 firefighters deployed

Air support from military - search and rescue as well as firefighting

Australian government issued a fireban

International - support in search and rescue from allied nations such as New Zealand USA and Canada

Relief funds set up by government to aid in funding firefighters and search and rescue

Environmental support from NGOs which offered advice in mitigating impact

Question 6

Long term management strategies

Answer 6

Govt spending 200 million ASD to support wildlife recovery, including bushfire and seedbank initiative

• seed conservation in order to protect Australias native plants from extinction from inferno

Improved land management processes e.g. controlled burns and measures to reduce fuel levels and firebreaks

Enhanced emergency response and coordination - community preparedness and resilience (training and education)