Case Study- Alberta Wildfire Flashcards
How long did the wildfire last?
400 days
When did the fire start?
May 2016
Where was the fire?
Canada Alberta fort mcmurray
What was the cause of the fire?
The precise cause and is unknown
Why were the conditions favourable?
- lack of winter snowfall
- early snow melt
- warmer then average temperatures
- dried out ground
Why did this fire cause a rare positive feedback?
It’s the one with the patterns including lightning which started additional fires
How did climate change affect the fire?
Extended fire season due to earlier springs. Rising global temperatures
Why was this area particularly vulnerable to fires?
Dense vegetation
What does frequent wildfires cause?
This leaves little recovery time
How did El Niño affect the conditions?
Higher temperatures and a more dry humid climate
What were the social impacts?
- 2400 homes and buildings burnt
- movement in area restricted livelihoods
What were the economic impact?
-$9 billion worth of damage
– Costs that oil industry $1 billion
What with environmental Impacts?
– Water contamination by ash
-Air pollution
What was done leading up to the wildfire?
Monitoring through satellite data
Why was the death count so low?
Due to the mass evacuation program Where 90,000 residents left
