Black Saturday (wildfires) Flashcards
Spec
Impact and human responses as evidenced by a recent wild fire event.
Background Information
In February 2009, severe wildfires burned for a month in the State of Victoria in southeast Australia. The worst fires occurred in forest areas.
Risk and Vulnerability
> Victoria is covered in eucalyptus forest which is oil-rich and burns easily.
> Environmental conditions added to the intensity of the fires- they followed ten years of drought.
> Several of the fires were caused by power lines.
> Depopulation has led to a decline in services in rural areas such as fire services.
Impacts of the wildfire
> 173 people were killed and 400 injured.
> 3500 properties were destroyed
> 7000 people displaced
> Over 1 million acres were burnt, however, this can fertilize the soil, encouraging more vegetation to grow.
> More than 60 businesses were destroyed, causing a loss of jobs and income.
> Electricity supply disrupted for
60,000 residents.
> The total estimated cost of the fire was around AUS $4 billion
Responses to the wildfire
> New fire hazard warning system was announced in October 2009. This gives an outlook on the Fire
Danger Index (FDI) every day during the fire season by considering the predicted weather.
> More than 20,000 firefighters and volunteers helped to put out fires and support victims.
> More than AUS $400 million was donated to help rebuild houses and community facilities. However, this was costly, so not everyone could afford to finish the building.
> Long-term responses included building fire shelters in vulnerable areas, improving warning systems, and improving the emergency evacuation strategy.
AO2 ideas
> The effects were over a regional scale, 500 sq km, so exceptionally difficult to mitigate.
> Causes are
more human-induced – no hazard warning systems, eucalyptus is a commercial crop, depopulation due to lack of investment.
> Responses were swift and immediate life-saving action saved more people.
> It is a highly risky area where the people were vulnerable before the wildfire happened (isolated, rural, climate, no hazard warning).
