WILDFIRES

Question 1

what else can a wildfire be called

Answer 1

bushfire

Question 2

what are the different types of fires

Answer 2

crown fire

surface fire

ground fire

ladder fire

Question 3

what is a crown fire

Answer 3

spreads across tree canopys and forested areas

Question 4

what is a surface fire

Answer 4

burns surface vegetation

Question 5

what is ground fire

Answer 5

burns beneath the ground layers of dry peat

Question 6

what is ladder fire

Answer 6

process of fire spreading from floor to canopy

Question 7

why has the global risk of fire increased

Answer 7

people moving to rural areas - greater risk of ignition

Question 8

what three conditions are needed to cause a wildfire

Answer 8

fuel - usually dry vegetation

ignition source - natural or human

favourable climate

Question 9

what factors effects the behaviour of wild fires

Answer 9

speed and direction of movement is dependent of vegetation

climate characteristics and local topography

Question 10

how does fuel type influence wildfires

Answer 10

influences intensity and rate of spread. grassland rarely produce the same intensity as forest fires

this is because of moisture content

Question 11

what is a wildfire

Answer 11

uncontrolled rural fire

Question 12

what is happening to wildfires

Answer 12

becoming more intense and frequent

Question 13

why does Australia suffer so many wildfires

Answer 13

nature of the fuel and climate

Question 14

which trees in Australia are fire promoting

Answer 14

eucalyptus trees because the leaves explode

Question 15

what was the name of the bushfire in Australia in 2009

Answer 15

Black Saturday Bushfires - 2009

Question 16

causes of the 2009 Australia bushfire

Answer 16

temperatures over 40 degrees C
dry vegetation
low humidity
winds over 80 mph

Question 17

effects from black Saturday in Australia

Answer 17

-173 deaths
- over 400 injured
-no power for 60,000 people
-

Question 18

What are climatic conditions that wildfires occur in

Answer 18

heatwaves
droughts
after long dry periods

Question 19

how do winds and storms influence wildfires

Answer 19

winds help with the drying process

wind strength determines rate of spread

Question 20

what is El Nino

Answer 20

climate event occurring every 6-8 years

Question 21

social impacts of wildfires

Answer 21

people killed or injured

homes destroyed

powerlines and clean water reservoirs damaged leaving people without clean water or electricity

health problems - inhaling smoke

Question 22

environmental impacts caused by wildfires

Answer 22

habitats destroyed

soils damaged

smoke causes air pollution

water sources contaminated with ash

Question 24

economic factors from wildfires

Answer 24

businesses destroyed and loss of jobs and income

cost of fighting wildfires is huge

discourage tourism

Question 25

political impacts from wildfires

Answer 25

governments face criticism governments may have to change there management

Question 26

preventing wildfires

Answer 26

public education - risk of using campfires . Smokey bear in the USA - urges Americans to behave responsibly control burning - reduce the amount of fuel . eg. dead vegetation on the ground floor

Question 27

why do some people with wildfires should not be controlled

Answer 27

natural process within forest ecosystems and should be allowed to take its course

Question 28

what is mitigation and how can wildfires be mitigated

Answer 28

reducing the impacts fires can be detected by satalites- detect thermal variation NASA has developed drone technology for surveying vast areas

Question 29

mitigation how can fires be controlled to reduce their impact

Answer 29

deliberately burn back vegetation ahead of the fire natural barriers eg, rivers

Question 30

how are wildfires adapted to

Answer 30

individuals can change the way they live to help them cope with wildfires for example using non flammable materials. some people think that wildfires play a role in the ecosystem development by burning away old, diseased wood.