Fire Hazard Victoria Wildfire Flashcards
when did this wildfire occur
Victoria , February 2009
where did this wildfire occur in victoria
in an MEDC, affected urban areas but mostly rural near the coast
what was the nickname for these wildfires
black saturday bushfires
how many properties were damaged during this series of bushfires
2000
how many communities were affected and how many people died
78 communities
173 died
what was the main cause of these bushfires
long dry periods known as the ‘Indian Ocean Diphole’ strong winds so fires spread easily
how long did fires burn for
over a month
how did temperatures and wind speeds changed ?
temps of 46 degrees and 100km/h, turned into cool temps and 120km/h
what are 3 social impacts of the wildfires
-2000 properties were damaged
-an estimated 173 people died, 414 injured
-over 1400 structures were damaged/destroyed
what’s 2 economic impacts of these wildfires
-the total cost of the bushfires according to ‘Bushfire Royal Commisiom’, $4.4billion
-by 2010 $1.2 billion was spent on insurance losses, 84% property
what’s 3 environmental impacts of these bushfires
-RSPCA confirmed over 1 million animals died and some had serious burns
-melbournes top 5 dams were contaminated with ash smoke from the bushfires were over
- antarctica and energy released was equal to 1500 hiroshima bombs
what’s 3 ways these bushfires were managed in the short term
-preparedness was bad, many people weren’t ready
-fire agencies and councils were smally effective
-a lot of immediate community’s responses, donations and international aid
what’s 3 ways the fires were managed in the long term
-a new hazard system would replace the exiting one, to advise residents on how they should act and some predicted weather etc
-mitigation, removing flammable material from property
-adaptation, survival plans have to be updated to meet new conditions
