Victoria Bushfires February 2009 Flashcards
What were these fires known as?
The Black Saturday bushfires
Why is Victoria vulnerable to wildfires?
The state is covered by eucalyptus forests which have oil rich foliage
Periodic droughts
What is the climate like in Victoria?
In summer, temperatures can be over 40 degrees C
Low humidity
Susceptible to high winds of up over 100 km/hour
Lightning strikes
How can power cables start fires?
Adverse weather conditions can bring them down, producing a spark
Why has there been a decline in rural services?
Due to depopulation
When and where did a heat wave affect Australia?
Late January 2009
South-eastern parts of Australia
What caused very low humidity on the 7th February?
Hot north-westerly winds of over 100km/hour
What were the causes of the fires?
Lightning strikes
Sparks from power cables
Sparks from power tools and machinery
Arson
How many deaths were there?
173
How many properties were destroyed?
3,500
How many people were displaced from their homes?
7000
How much forest was lost?
Over 1 million acres
What were the agricultural losses?
Death of 12,000 livestock
Loss of crops
Loss of boundary fences
How many animals died during the fire?
The RSPCA estimated that over 1 million perished in the fires
How many residents were disrupted by the electricity supply?
Over 60,000
