Wildfires Flashcards
6 factors affecting the nature of wildfires
Behaviour of fire Humidity Plant type Wind strength Amount of vegetation Topography
5 factors affecting spread
Vertical arrangement of vegetation Vegetation type Moisture content Topography Weather conditions
Ignition sources at least 5
Lighting Arson Spontaneous combustion Volcanic eruption Discarded cigarettes Campfires Electrical faults Controlled burning
8 effects of wildfires
Loss of wildlife Loss of crops,timber and livestock Increased flood risk Loss of life Loss of property Released of toxic gases + particulates Evacuation Damage to soil nutrient content
Why does LA basin in California have a continuous problem
3 points
Area covered by drought resistant chaparral - scrub vegetation - becomes tinder dry after summer drought
Dry wind Santa Ana - descends from local mountains = increases dryness = easy spread of fire
Outside LA centre = low density Bildungsroman - natural vegetation between them
What is the typical distribution of wildfires
Mainly rural but due to human expansion of human habitation now occurs in boundaries of settlements in
California
Australia
Southern Europe
What must the regions have to make them susceptible 4
Examples of countries
Dry vegetation, dry session , semi-arid climate, susceptible to lightning and droughts m
Australia
USA and Canada, California and Florida
Southern Europe Italy, Greece , Turkey
How are fires and natural ecosystems linked?
Fires can clear vegetation - aid new seed germination - stimulate plant growth - rod insects and parasites
What is pyrophytic
A species that can withstand fire by specific mechanism
Example of a pyrophytic species
2
Baobab tree - resistant bark
Banksia plant - need fire to open woody fruit and regenerate
Loss of life case study fact
173 people died in Victoria 2009
Effect of gases case study fact
Southeast Asia haze is related to large scale air pollution due to illegal agricultural slash and burn practices in Indonesia
Effects Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia - introduces political dimension
Loss of wildlife case study fact
In Indonesia fires of 1997
Erin river oragatan sanctuary was destroyed
7 management strategies
Managing the vegetation Managing the built environment Modelling Education Warning systems Community action Insurance
Explain managing the vegetation
Controlled burning to get rid of litter and creating firebreaks in advance
Explain managing the built environment
Increasing the gap between houses and vegetation
Incorporating more fire resistant methods into construction
Explain modelling
Studying the ways in which fires behave with computer stimulation’s to predict fire behaviour
Explain education
Education and awareness campaigns on home safety and prevention
Smokey Bear is the biggest in the US
Explain warning systems
Lookout towers, air patrols
Notice boards in tourist areas
Explain community action
Local warning systems and emergency plans
Community fire guard in Victoria after the Victoria 1983 fires to help with fire survival strategies
Explain Insurance
Taking out insurance against fire damage can be very expensive I. Fire prone area
3 ways of dealing with a fire as it happens
Spraying with water and chemicals from ground and air
Firefighter by beating out flames
Retardants to slow fire
2 ways of addressing effects
Replanting trees
Added last response and improve on plan and supplies
Case study of wildfire
Victoria Feb 2009
