Black Saturday Bushfires (Wildfires case study)

Background information of wildfire

Occurred on 7th of February 2009 in Kilmore north Victoria

Nature of wildfire

Occurred during an El Nino year, main culprit of the fires breaking out was due to powerline falling and igniting causing a fire as well as extreme heats of 46°C. Vegetation very dry due to drought and oil-rich eucalyptus trees acted as a fuel source.

Short-term effects of wildfire

• 173 deaths and 414 injured

• 2030 homes destroyed and 1400 other structures such as medical centres

• 450,000 hectares burned

• Many homes and businesses without power

Long-term effects of wildfire

• Psychological trauma

• High levels of ash in reservoirs

• Ash and smoke caused air quality problems

Immediate responses to wildfires

• Over 5,000 firefighter deployed

• Evacuations issued

• Care package to the hospitalised and those who lost homes

• Emergency shelters set up

• Backburning and water bombing

Long term responses to wildfires

• Rebuilding of homes and businesses (criticism of government for allowing rebuilding of Marysville which was 90% destroyed)

• Psychological support service

• Billions spent to update all power lines around Victoria

• Introduced a new fire hazard system with the bushfire index

• New building regulations and banned housing in areas of high risk

Preparedness and mitigation of wildfires

• No mandatory evacuations but a ‘Stay or go’ policy which reduced initiative to evacuate which perhaps contributed to a higher death toll

• Bushfire management was put in place

Overall management of wildfires

Overall management of bushfires was strong was emergency services deployed rapidly to fight against fires and long term responses wildfire helped mitigate against future ones, but there was problems with the ‘stay or go policy’ so was essential to improve it.

Australian 2019 bushfires effects and responses

• More than 20% of Australian forests burnt

• 5900 buildings destroyed almost double 2009

• 34 deaths

• Psychological trauma

Responses

• Reinforcements from all over Australia called in

• Supplies and equipment from America, Canada

• $2 billion allocated for recovery

• Mental health services expanded