WILDFIRES Flashcards
what else can a wildfire be called
bushfire
what are the different types of fires
crown fire
surface fire
ground fire
ladder fire
what is a crown fire
spreads across tree canopys and forested areas
what is a surface fire
burns surface vegetation
what is ground fire
burns beneath the ground layers of dry peat
what is ladder fire
process of fire spreading from floor to canopy
why has the global risk of fire increased
people moving to rural areas - greater risk of ignition
what three conditions are needed to cause a wildfire
fuel - usually dry vegetation
ignition source - natural or human
favourable climate
what factors effects the behaviour of wild fires
speed and direction of movement is dependent of vegetation
climate characteristics and local topography
how does fuel type influence wildfires
influences intensity and rate of spread. grassland rarely produce the same intensity as forest fires
this is because of moisture content
what is a wildfire
uncontrolled rural fire
what is happening to wildfires
becoming more intense and frequent
why does Australia suffer so many wildfires
nature of the fuel and climate
which trees in Australia are fire promoting
eucalyptus trees because the leaves explode
what was the name of the bushfire in Australia in 2009
Black Saturday Bushfires - 2009
causes of the 2009 Australia bushfire
temperatures over 40 degrees C
dry vegetation
low humidity
winds over 80 mph
effects from black Saturday in Australia
-173 deaths
- over 400 injured
-no power for 60,000 people
-
What are climatic conditions that wildfires occur in
heatwaves
droughts
after long dry periods
how do winds and storms influence wildfires
winds help with the drying process
wind strength determines rate of spread
what is El Nino
climate event occurring every 6-8 years
social impacts of wildfires
people killed or injured
homes destroyed
powerlines and clean water reservoirs damaged leaving people without clean water or electricity
health problems - inhaling smoke
environmental impacts caused by wildfires
habitats destroyed
soils damaged
smoke causes air pollution
water sources contaminated with ash
economic factors from wildfires
businesses destroyed and loss of jobs and income
cost of fighting wildfires is huge
discourage tourism
political impacts from wildfires
governments face criticism
governments may have to change there management
preventing wildfires
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
why do some people with wildfires should not be controlled
natural process within forest ecosystems and should be allowed to take its course
what is mitigation and how can wildfires be mitigated
reducing the impacts
fires can be detected by satalites- detect thermal variation
NASA has developed drone technology for surveying vast areas
mitigation
how can fires be controlled to reduce their impact
deliberately burn back vegetation ahead of the fire
natural barriers eg, rivers
how are wildfires adapted to
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.
