Vecka 3

Tuesday

Grej of the Day

Bushfires in Australia impact extensive areas and cause property damage and have accounted for the deaths of 800 people in Australia since 1851. 

What is a bushfire?

Bushfires and  are common throughout Australia. 

They usually move quite slow, but have a high heat output. This means they pass in two to five minutes, but they can smoulder for days. Fire in the crown of the tree canopy can move rapidly.

Bushfires are a part of Australia's environment. Natural ecosystems have evolved with fire, and the landscape, along with its biological diversity, has been shaped by both historic and recent fires. 

Many of Australia's native plants are fire prone and very combustible, while numerous species depend on fire.

What factors create a favourable environment for bushfires to occur?

The basic factors which determine whether a bushfire will occur include the presence of fuel, oxygen and an ignition source. 

Fuel load

Fuel load describes the amount of fallen bark, leaf litter and small branches in the landscape. Generally speaking, the greater the fuel load, the hotter and more intense the fire. The natural oil within eucalypt trees promotes the combustion of fuel.

Wind speed

Wind acts to drive a fire by blowing the flames into fresh fuel and providing a continuous supply of oxygen. Wind also promotes the rapid spread of fire.

Temperature

The higher the temperature the more likely it is that a fire will start or continue to burn. 

The current bushfire in Australia!

The size of the area burned by Australia's wildfires is the equivalent of more than 21,309 Central Parks put together.

Twenty-four people have been charged with deliberately setting brushfires, according to the New South Wales police.

The fires have been fueled by a prolonged drought, with December marking the driest month on record.

At least 26 people have been killed in the fires, including volunteer firefighters. 

At least 1700 homes have been destroyed across the country in the fires.

One billion animals could be impacted by the fires and 30 percent of the koala population is believed to have been killed.

Much of Australia's firefighting force are volunteers.

In December, the smoke was so heavy in Sydney that the air quality measured 11 times higher than the "hazardous" level.

Strong winds are contributing to the fires spreading and a firefighter was killed in December after his truck rolled over in high winds.

The mass evacuations that took place following New Year’s Eve across New South Wales and Victoria are understood to be one of the largest ever emergency movements of people in Australia.

Canberra is today ranked the worst city on the planet for air quality, with Australia Post forced to cancel all deliveries, and childcare centres, universities and museums closing.

Australia's prime minister, Scott Morrison, has admitted there were things he "could have handled much better" in the bushfire crisis.

The prime minister has been heavily criticized for his tone-deaf interactions with fire-ravaged communities and inaction over climate change.