Black Saturday Wildfire Flashcards
Where did black Saturday take place?
Victoria, Australia
How many deaths did this wildfire cause?
173
How many people did the fire kill in kingslake?
120
How many were injured in the black Saturday wildfire?
414
How many wild and domesticated animals were lost in this fire?
More than 1 million
How many hectares of land was burned in this wildfire?
450,000
What year did this wildfire take place in?
2009
What plants have adapted to fire?
Eucalypts
Is fire a good thing?
-aboriginal have used it for thousands of years as a complex land-management tool
-controlled burns have helped to keep trails clear, promote new growth that will attract prey
What happened during the days before black Saturday?
-a heatwave stuck southern Australia
-Melbourne endured 3 days above 43 degrees
-6th feb 2009 public warning that the next day was expected to be the worst day for fire conditions in the history of the state
What started the fire?
-morning of Feb 7th 2009, n-w winds in excess of 100 kmph brought hot, dry air from central Australia
-the storm helped to create almost perfect fire conditions and the winds brought down the power lines at 11.47am in kilmore east, the resulting sparks ignited the fire
What were the consequences of the black Saturday bushfires?
- 173 people dead in total with 120 in the kingslake area
-414 people injured
-more than 450,000 hectares had burned
-3,500 buildings including over 2000 houses were destroyed
-rspca estimated that up 1 million wild and domesticated animals died in the disaster
What was the aftermath of the black Saturday bushfires?
-a royal commission into the fires was announced on 13th February 2009
-class action law suits initiated in the Supreme Court of Victoria against electricity company sp ausnet which led to a $494 million settlement in relation to the kingslake fire and a $300 million out of court settlement in relation to the Mary’s ills fire
-Victoria police investigated the cause of the fires and charged 1 man and 2 youths with arson
What personal cost did the black Saturday wildfires have to residents in Victoria?
-loss of life to family & friends
-loss of homes and memories they contained
-complete alteration to familiar landscapes
-fears of a repeat of this event
-rise in suicides amount bushfire survivors, along with alcohol and drug abuse and addictive behaviour such as gambling
What authority brought new rules in after black Saturday?
- County Fire Authority in Victoria
