Hazards - Wildfires

Question 1

What are the human causes of wildfires? (4)

Answer 1

1 - Accidents with matches

2 - Broken bottles that act as a magnifying glass

3 - Arson - on purpose

4 - Slash and burn - deforestation

Question 2

What are the natural causes of wildfires? (5)

Answer 2

1 - Lightning

2 - Volcanic eruptions

3 - South facing slopes as sun dries them

4 - Steep slopes as means the fire travels quicker

5 - Spontaneous heating where material is heated to a point that a spark is not needed to cause a fire

Question 3

What are the three key components needed for a fire?

Answer 3

1 - Oxygen

2 - Heat

3 - Fuel

Question 4

What factors can tell services about the nature of a fire? (3)

Answer 4

1 - Weather

2 - Fuel - Amount, dryness

3 - Topography - slope of aspect (side) of the land

Question 5

How can wildfires be prevented? (3)

Answer 5

1 - Remove dead leaves and branches in arease prone to wildfires

2 - Organise controlled burning to remove fuel

3 - Educate the public to reduce the human causes of wildfires

Question 6

What are the three types of wildfires?

Answer 6

1 - Ground fire - Ground burns: slow, no flame, little smoke

2 - Surface fire - Leaf litter and vegetation burns: low or high intensity

3 - Crown fire - Canopy burns: Intense, Fast paced

Question 7

What type of vegatation causes wildfires to spread easily and quickly? (3)

Answer 7

1 - Closely spaced trees + Thick undergrowth

2 - Pine trees contain oils allowing them to burn easily

3 - Eucalptus trees shed strips of their bark causing fire to spread quickly

Question 8

What type of fuel causes fires to spread and start easily? (2)

Answer 8

1 - Fine, dry material burns and catches fire easier

2 - A continuous cover of large amounts of fuel will help the fire to burn longer and spread

Question 9

What are the weather conditions that causes more intense fires? (3)

Answer 9

1 - Large amount precipitation allows for vegetaton to grow - Provides fuel

2 - Warm dry weather causes vegegtaion to lose water so it’s drier and more flammable

3 - Strong winds provide more oxygen to fuel fire

Question 10

What fire behaviour causes the fire to become more intense? (2)

Answer 10

1 - Fires that throw out burning debris helps fire to spread

2 - Running fire - spreads rapily

• Creeping fire - spreads slowly

Question 11

What are ths social impacts of wildfires? (4)

Answer 11

1 - Deaths or injuries

2 - Homelessness

3 - Destroy power lines + Damage reservoirs - No electricity or clean water

4 - Inhaling smoke - long term breathing diffculties

Question 12

What are the Economic impacts of wildfires? (4)

Answer 12

1 - Destroy business

2 - Insurnace premiems increase

3 - The cost of fighting them is large

4 - Discourage tourism

Question 13

What are the political impacts of wildfires? (2)

Answer 13

1 - Gov face critisism

2 - Gov may have to launch forest managment practises - clear vegetation

Question 14

What are the environmental impacts of wildfires? (4)

Answer 14

1 - Habitats detroyed and speacies may not return to the area changing ecosystems

2 - Soils eroded as no vegetation to hold soil together

3 - Water sources contaminated with ash

4 - Some plant seeds need fires to germinate (growing from a seed)

Question 15

What are the short term responses to wildfire? (4)

Answer 15

1 - Trying to put the fire out

2 - Diverting fire away from settlements

3 - Evacuating people

4 - Spraying water on roofs houses to prevent embers setting them alight

Question 16

What are the long term responses to Wildfires? (3)

Answer 16

1 - Prevention: Eduacte people +provide fire beaters

2 - Preparedness: Households having an emergency plan and emergencey food, water and medical supplies

3 - Adaptation: Using non flammable buidling materials + creating fire breaks (gaps in trees)