1. Bushfires

2. Students Learn About the nature of the natural hazard in Australia the geographical processes involved the impacts of the natural hazard: economic environmental social

3. Students Learn To describe the geographical processes associated with the natural hazard describe the economic, environmental and social impacts of the natural hazard in Australia

4. History Bushfires are fires burning out of control in the open using grass, scrub or a forest for fuel Fire has influenced the development of Australian land since the last ice age Fire is essential to some ecosystems, some plants require intense heat to release seeds that replenish growth Aborigines used fire for hunting activities European settlers used fire to clear land

5. History Using fire to clear land, for hunting etc. is now banned, as a result leaf and bark litter has increased and provides fuel for bushfires

6. Cause Bushfires can start naturally through lightning strikes and spontaneous combustion Most bushfires are started by people e.g. discarded cigarettes/matches, electricity cables, sparks from tools and burning off

7. Types There are two main types of bushfires: Surface bushfires: burn in grass, low shrubs and ground litter. Travel at high speeds but are easier to control Crown bushfires: occurs when heat and flames from a surface fire ignite the crowns (tops) of trees. These fires spread rapidly with strong hot winds and dry vegetation. Flammable eucalyptus is particularly dangerous and makes these fires hard to control

8. Where South eastern Australia is most prone to bushfires (central Australia is too arid and there’s not much to burn) this is because: Large sclerophyll forests with a dominance of eucalyptus trees (highly flammable oil). Trees burst into flames. Fortunately, for the eucalyptus during this trauma they drop new seeds and can easily regrow. Area is prone to prolonged periods of low rainfall/drought.

9. Where The area is prone to heat waves and strong northerly winds during summer months Climate change experts predict this area to become hotter and drier in the future

10. Response The results of bushfires include loss of life/injury and personal/financial hardship to families and communities 70000 individuals volunteer for the bushfire brigades

11. Black Saturday Black Saturday in Victoria 7 th February 2009 killed 173 people and destroyed 2029 homes. Causes of the bushfire included: heatwaves, low rainfall, winds, low humidity, topography (i.e. hilly land), human factors (i.e. people electing to live in forested areas)

12. Other Major Bushfires LocationDateDeathsHomes Lost Hectares Burned Cost at the Time TasmaniaFeb 1967621300260000$45 mil VictoriaFeb 1983752400500000$400 mil PortugalAug 200315500140000US$1 bil CaliforniaOct 2007231500200000US$1 bil GreeceAug 200764150011000US$1.2 bil VictoriaFeb 20091732029450000$1.5 bil