L9 - Wildfires

Question 1

Define a wildfire

Answer 1

Uncontrolled fires fuels by natural vegetation

Question 2

What are the stages of fire development?

Answer 2

Stage 1: Convective heat - vertical growth e.g. underbrush to canopy
Stage 2: Radiative heat - lateral growth

Question 3

What is the primary natural causes of wildfires?

Answer 3

Lightning

Question 4

List 4 common human causes of wildfires

Answer 4

Arson
Campfires
Smoking
Debris Burning

Question 5

What was the case study wildfire environment in the lectures?

Answer 5

Boreal forest

Question 6

Where do most wildfires occur?

Answer 6

Tropics (Amazon, African Savannah, Indonesia)

Question 7

What country has experienced three of the top 10 deadiest wildfires?

Answer 7

Australia

Question 8

What was the worst wildfire in history? (In terms of number of people affected?)

Answer 8

Indonesia - 1994 - 3,000,000

Question 9

What was the worst wildfire in history? (In terms of economic cost?)

Answer 9

Indonesia - 1997 - $8,000,000

Question 10

What are the primary forms of fire suppression?

Answer 10

Controlled Burning
Firelines
Air Drops

Question 11

What are the 3 primary consequences of climate change on wildfires?

Answer 11

Longer fire season
More frequent fires
More severe fires