Australian Bushfires 2019-20

• Social Impacts of the Black Summer Bushfires


  • Killed 34 people directly
  • Destroyed over 5,900 buildings including 2,779 homes 
  • Created air quality levels which were severely hazardous to human health
  • Estimated 417 deaths from longer-term consequences of the fires and smoke exposure.
• Economic Impacts of the Black Summer Bushfires 


  • Exceeded the AU$4.4 billion costs of the 2009 bushfires
  • Reduced tourism revenues by over AU$1 billion. 
  • Australia suffered $1.7 billion direct losses to the tourism industry, which triggered the larger drop in supply chain output.
• Environmental impacts of the Black Summer Bushfires 


  • Killed an estimated 1 billion animals 
  • 24 million hectares of land burnt (size of UK) 
  • Caused extinction among some endangered species
  • Spread smoke 11,000 Km to Chile and Argentina
  • Emitted over 300 million tonnes of CO2
  • At least 80% of the Blue Mountains World Heritage area in NSW and 53% of the Gondwana world heritage rainforests in Queensland (QLD) were burned. 
  • Release of over 400 million tonnes of CO2
  • Smoke from the fires depleted the ozone layer by 3-5%
• What three ways to wildfires spread?


  Ground Fire: This occurs when leaf litter and twigs catch light and fire spreads at ground level

  Crown Fires: These occur when fire spreads through the tree canopies. These are common in Australia’s eucalypt trees, whose resin is highly flammable. Though dramatic  ,where crown fires spread quickly, they often move on rapidly, driven by winds but without causing further damage. 

  Spot Fires: These are random fires which spread when burning embers are caught up in the wind, land away from the main fire and begin as new fires.
• How does El Nino contribute to wildfire risk?


  El Nino refers to a set of drought conditions in Australia, which occur every 3-7 years, and last for up to 30 months. Winds in Australia usually blow from east to west, bringing moisture sourced from the Pacific Ocean to the east of Australia. South and east parts of Australia are therefore wetter. However during El Nino the wind blows from west to east and therefore the eastern and southern parts of Australia are therefore affected by dry winds blowing from Western Australia off-shore by which tims these winds contain little moisture content. 
• Explain how counterurbanisation is impacting upon wildfires.


  As cities and surrounding towns have grown the spread of bushland is inevitable and with risk of bushfire. To combat the threat local councils minimise risk of controlled burning (regular burning of leaf litter to reduce fuel.) 
• How is climate change impacting on Australia and how is this increasing the risks of wildfires? 


  Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research, shows that climate change is a threat. Their analysis shows that Melbourne’s maximum daily temperatures are expected to rise by 1.6 degrees by 2030 and could increase up to 2.7 degrees just 2 decades later if current climate change trends continue. They believe that the number of days per year when temperatures exceed 35oC degrees will increase from the average of 8.3 to 20.4 by the 2050s. On such days the risk of bushfires greatly increases. 
• What caused the 2019-20 bushfires?


  Droughts - from July- September 2019. Several areas across central and southern Australia were the lowest ‘decile of rainfall’ or categorised as ‘the lowest on record’. The period was therefore of great importance in creating a tinderbox which provided ideal conditions for fire to take hold as summer approached in October and November.  

  Climate change - increasing and severity of droughts 

  EL Nino - every 3-7 years the wind changes in Australia causing more dry weather to be brought to Southwestern Australia.
• Assess the impact of bushfires in the future


  In recent years discussions have broadened to include wider environmental considerations, such as the debate around controlled burning versus natural regeneration of forest. Environmental concerns now underpin many planning decisions about property building or modification in rural areas of all states, particularly in Victoria and NSW. 
• Explain how people’s vulnerability to wildfires can be modified

  • Fire authority staff tell households, locations or communities to evacuate or if they can stay
  • Relocate people to other towns or to fire refuges. Those choosing to defend their homes should evacuate children
  • All bushfire warnings should aim to save lives and to be broadcast on commercial and national radio and television. 
  • Controlled burning-However, it is opposed by environmental groups who claim it doesn't allow regrowth which means plants will die out. 
  • Fire officers inspect buildings to assess risk and advise on burning. 
• Explain why some areas are affected more severely than others. (Human)

  Victoria and NSW are historically most affected by bushfires. They are Australia’s most populous states with nearly 60% of Australia’s population between them. However, Victoria accounts for 60% of bushfire deaths alone. Yet Tasmania, with a population of 525,000 has more than twice the deaths of Queensland which has ten times its population.
• Explain why some areas are affected more severely than others (Physical)

  Victoria and NSW historically have more wet weather which means that there are more plants such as eucalyptus trees which creates more fuel for the fire. This means when El Nino causes droughts these areas have more fuel for the fire to burn when the weather becomes dry. 
• What was the preparation for the 2019-20 Bushfires?


  • Controlled burns
  • Fire warnings from the Australian Fire Danger Rating System were issued regularly, and the public was encouraged to stay informed through media and official channels.
  • The Aus gov had mobilised thousands of firefighters and members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF).
  • The NSW RFS and the CFA in Victoria were preparing for an extreme fire season.
  • Fire agencies ran public awareness campaigns which included advising people on creating survival plans, clearing vegetation around homes, and understanding fire alerts.
• What were the Immediate responses for the 2019-20 Bushfires?


  • Around 80,000 firefighters from Australia and other countries such as New Zealand, Canada and USA tackled the fires
  • Animal rescue groups such as the RSPCA and WWF raised almost $200 million for animal rescue and rehabilitation
  • The gov paid out a Disaster Recovery Payment of $1000 per adult affected
  • Temporary accommodation was set up in sports centres and community halls
  • Evacuation order = 100,000 people evacuated
  • Authorities focused on controlling the perimeter of large fires to stop them from spreading to populated areas.
• Long Term Responses of the 2019-20 Bushfires


  • Government committed over $2 billion to bushfire recovery and provided financial assistance to affected communities and businesses
  • Environmental restoration-such as the creation of a koala hospital and breeding programme
  • Development of mitigation strategies e.g. the creation of the National Bushfire Recovery Agency to coordinate relief efforts and support reconstruction
  • The gov’s Farm Household Allowance was expanded, and specific recovery grants for agriculture were provided.
  • Rebuilding homes and restoring infrastructure may take 5 to 10 years
• Preparation and Mitigation for future bushfires in Australia (Environmental)

  • There were calls for more consistent and extensive controlled burns to reduce fuel loads. However, the challenges of conducting these burns safely and effectively in periods of extreme heat and dry conditions were also discussed.
• Preparation and Mitigation for future bushfires in Australia (Technology + resources)

  • There have been efforts to integrate new technologies, such as drones, satellite data, and advanced fire prediction tools, into fire management strategies. These technologies can help predict fire behavior, monitor large areas, and track outbreaks in real-time.
  • Some states have been advocating for more investment in firefighting equipment, training, and specialised personnel to respond to large-scale fires more effectively.
• Preparation and Mitigation for future bushfires in Australia (education)

  Local governments and fire agencies have worked to educate residents about how to prepare and stay safe during fire seasons, with an emphasis on creating defensible space around homes and understanding fire danger ratings