Fires in nature

Question 1

What is a wildfire?

Answer 1

an uncontrolled rural fire

Question 2

What is a crown fire?

Answer 2

spreads across tree canopies and affects forested areas

Question 3

What is a surface fire?

Answer 3

burns across surface vegetation

Question 4

What is a ground fire?

Answer 4

burns beneath the ground in layers of dry, organic peat

Question 5

What is the ladder effect?

Answer 5

the process of fires from the forest floor spreading to the tree canopy

Question 6

Why is the risk increasing?

Answer 6

climate change and a growing population

Question 7

What are the favorable conditions for wildfires?

Answer 7

wind, slope, humidity, time/seasons, temperature, fuel proximately, vegetation type

Question 8

What can be used as fuel for wildfires?

Answer 8

dry vegetation (living and dead) as it is combustable

Question 9

Define antecedent factors and give examples.

Answer 9

what the conditions are like before the fire began eg. dry, lack of rain, lots of fuel

Question 10

What’s the name of trees in Australia that are easily combustible?

Answer 10

eucalyptus

Question 11

What are the main physical causes?

Answer 11

• lightening
• lava flows

Question 12

What are the main human causes?

Answer 12

• cigarettes
• campfires
• agricultural fires
• arson

Question 13

What percent of wildfires are caused by humans?

Answer 13

90%

Question 14

What are the local impacts of wildfires?

Answer 14

• risk to life
• damage to property
• disruption to transport

Question 15

What is the landscape impacts of wildfires?

Answer 15

• loss of crops
• soil erosion
• loss of habitat
• reduction in water quality

Question 16

What is the regional impacts of wildfires?

Answer 16

• impact on tourism
• health effects
• reduced air quality

Question 17

What is the national impact of wildfires?

Answer 17

• government costs for mitigation
• government costs for stopping environmental damage

Question 18

What is the global impacts of wildfires?

Answer 18

• disturbance to air travel
• temporary changes to weather patterns

Question 19

What are the positive impacts of wildfires?

Answer 19

• insect pest control
• removal of invasive/ non-native species
• ashes provide additional nutrients
• remove undergrowth to allow sunlight to reach forest floor
• encourage growth of fire-dependent species (Baobab tree)

Question 20

What is the name of the tree that has adapted to tolerate fire?

Answer 20

Baobab tree

Question 21

How do you use preparation to manage fires?

Answer 21

• release warning (social media)
• firebreaks around property (but fires can jump 10 metres)

Question 22

Why do firebreaks around properties not always work?

Answer 22

fires can jump 10 metres

Question 23

How do you mitigate to reduce the severity of the fires?

Answer 23

• early detection through satelites and infred sensors
• Drone technology developed by NASA to survey areas
• Disaster aid and fire insurance

Question 24

How do you prevent fires?

Answer 24

controlled fires to reduce the amount of fuel

Question 25

How do you use adaptation for fires?

Answer 25

Planning regulations to reduce the hazard by restricting areas most at risk during the fires season