case study wildfire: Australia

Question 1

what was the wildfire in Australia called?

Answer 1

black saturday

Question 2

When and where did Black Saturday happen?

Answer 2

7th of February 2009

Question 3

what were the primary impacts of Black Saturday?

Answer 3

• 173 people died
• 83 communities were destroyed
• 1 million animals reported dead by the RSPCA
• cost $4.4 billion
• 450,000 ha was burnt
• 12 million livestock killed

Question 4

what factors created the risk of the Black Saturday wildfire?

Answer 4

• 10 year drought dried the vegetation due to high evaporation
• poor forest management
• heatwave of 48 degrees
• intense high pressure system over the Tasman sea and low pressure off the North West Australian cost cause hot air to blow over the outback
• eucalyptus forests which are oil rich and easy to burn
• depopulation lead to a decline of fire services in the area

Question 5

what was the secondary impacts of Black Saturday?

Answer 5

• water contaminated with ash

Question 6

what were the responses to Black Saturday wildfires?

Answer 6

• new fire hazards replaces
• new building regulations in bush fire prone areas

Question 7

how is the environment managed to reduce the risk of wildfires?

Answer 7

• flammable vegetation is removed by controlled burning
• having fire breaks so fire can’t spread over vast areas of land
• gaps between building are increased
• buildings are build using fire resistant materials

Question 8

what are other mitigating factors for the risk of wildfires?

Answer 8

• educating of the community to prevent the creation of wildfires
  > smoky the bear in the US
• fire risks are modelled using past data of fires

Question 9

what are the three types of wildfires?

Answer 9

• ground fire: ground itself burns/peat
  > slow intensity
  > no flame, little smoke
• surface fire: leaf litter/low lying vegetation burns
  > high or low intensity
• crown fire: burn though canopy
  > intense and fast moving

Question 10

what are the conditions needed for a wildfire?

Answer 10

• vegetation: thick undergrowth/ dense tree cover for fire to travel easily
• fuel: fine. dry material/ oil whihc burns easily
• climate: sufficent rainfall for vegetation growth
  > distinct dry season to dry vegetation
  > strong winds provide O2 and helps fire spread

Question 11

what are the main causes of a wildfire?

Answer 11

• Natural:
  > lightning
  > volcanic eruption
• Human
  > cigarettes
  > campfires
  > fireworks
  > arson