fire - ALBERTA Flashcards
When did it happen?
May 2016
How many were evacuated from Fort McMurray?
(responses)
88,000
How many hectares were burnt?
600,000
Where did it occur?
Alberta Province, Canada. Near City of Fort McMurray
were there casualties
none
Wind (causes)
A shift in strong wind direction helped push the fire to the outskirts of Fort McMurray
Embers (causes)
wind-carried embers showed ‘spotting’ and continued the fire in other locations
what is ‘spotting’ from firebrands?
spotting ignites fires in patches, way before the fire front
> example of firebrands is embers
environmental conditions (causes)
lack of snowfall and early snow melt warmer than average temperatures
=dry ground, unseasonably warm and dry month (32.8 degrees)
what was the fire known as
the beast
el nino effect (causes)
el nino caused warm and dry conditions and extended fire season
ecosystem (impacts)
-scorched soil
-burnt trees
- soil nutrient stores depleted
peat (impacts)
-dry peat soil susceptible to re-ignition
CO2 (impacts, env)
released millions of tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere
>also mercury and lead traces found in USA
water pollution (impact)
large amounts of ash washed into the water courses and contaminated aquatic ecosystems
buildings burnt (impact, social)
2,400 buildings burnt down
anxiety (impact, social)
increases in behavioural anxiety about the future
power/water (impacts, social)
power supplies restricted and water contaminated
insurance on Fort McMurray (impact, economic)
insurance company suggested damage of $9 billion
workers evacuation (impact, economic)
8,500 workers had to evacuate in the shell oil industry operations had to shut down causing a CA $1 billion impact
mining industry (impacts,
economic)
-600 work camps destroyed (Albian Sands)
-Cost the industry $1bn
political debate (impacts,
political)
fuelled a political debate about the impacts of climate change and increased vulnerability in the future
recasting during (response)
meteorological info used to forecast the fire’s likely direction
state of emergency (responses)
Alberta Province Government declared a state of emergency
Services deployed (responses)
Canadian armed forces : Helicopters, Water bombers and firefighters
>USA, AUS, Russia all helped provide these
money for dependants (responses)
government provided $1250 per adult for evacuees as long term compensations, criticism this wasn’t enough for people who lost businesses and livelihood
Canadian Red Cross (responses)
Canadian Red Cross donations for over $50mil (CAN)
presidential Promises (responses)
- Canadian president promised long-term aid in June
- Allowed evacuees to return back in and support rebuilding process
What was held to raise money in June
A concert for ‘fire aid’
Example of the positive feedback loop this caused
Increased temperature causes increased risk of wildfires
What local infrastructure was destroyed
Major transport links such as railways, roads, local airports which were valuable to the local economy
Cause of the wildfire
Precise cause unknown, climate conditions were favourable and the ENSP cycle, ladder effect
was the short term response successful
Management was very successful as no deaths or serious injury
What did the government set up online
a registry for temporary housing
monitoring
drones with cameras and thermometers so they could track where it was going
adaptation
fire adapted communities so they took
mitigation action so they live with wildfires without harm
prediction
Fire modelling where and how quick a fire will spread
protection
- back burning by control the fire near the rear
-controlled burning - Smokey bear to educate people what to do if a wildfire occurs
where did the fire ignite
Remote forest areas south west of fort McMurray
