Natural Hazards (Case Study) Wildfires, South-East Australia, February 2009 Flashcards
How long did the fires burn for and where?
Burned for a month in the state of Victoria, with the worst fires occurring in forested areas.
How did environmental conditions add to the intensity of the fire?
They followed ten years of drought, recent temperatures had been over 40 Degrees Celsius and there were strong winds.
What did the lack of management mean?
It meant there was a large amount of very dry oil-rich material to fuel the fire. Several of the fires were caused by faulty power lines.
What were some of the social impacts?
173 people were killed and 400 injured with many more suffering from stress and depression.
2000 houses in 78 communities were destroyed
What were some of the economic impacts?
More than 60 businesses were destroyed, leading to loss of jobs and income
The total estimated cost of the fire was more than AUS $4 billion
What was the environmental impact of the storm?
4300 km^2 of land was burned. Millions of animals, birds and reptiles were killed, including the rare sooty owl and spotted tree frog.
What was the prediction method?
Australian Bureau of Meteorology predicted how fires would spread and told residents they could either evacuate or stay and defend homes. Evacuation reduced the number of deaths but many people were at risk by choosing to stay in their homes.
What were the responses?
20,000 firefighters and volunteers helped to put out the fires and support victims.
More than AUS $400 million was donated to help rebuild houses and community facilities. However, making new houses fire-resistant increased costs, so not everyone could afford to finish building.
What were the long-term responses?
Recommendations included building fire shelters in vulnerable places, improving warning systems and improving the emergency evacuation strategy.
