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Australian bushfires

 

Nature of BushFires ClearlyExplained.Com Technology and Bushfires Controlling/preventing ClearlyExplained.Com

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Why are bushfires important ? There are some obvious reasons for knowing about bush fires: Environmentally bushfires can be important to local ecosystems. eg smoke is sometimes needed for seeds to germinate. bushfire benefits to the environment and recovery Bushfires can have a economic and emotional effect on people and property directly affected. Having a better understanding of bushfire causes can help you better prepare and perhaps minimise or prevent bushfire damage. Bushfires can cause small cumulus clouds as heat pushes up air

Bushfires affect the atmosphere by : creating large volumes of smoke and ash. causing localised changes in weather. increasing the amount of CO2 The environmental protection authority provides current air quality For asthmatics the increased smoke in the air can provoke asthma attacks. A satellite image of smoke trails from bushfires (from CSIRO) Extrainfo: Global world wide effects of bushfires

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News about bush fires. The Australian bushfire season for 2006 has started, as it does each year during the start of summer. 6 December 2006 There are predictions that the bushfires currently in Vicotria are set to be the largest ever on record. more from ABC news 24 November 2006 The blue mountains are suffering major blazes and threatened residential areas and now in the area of Grose Valley. more from ABC news 25 September 2006 The bushfire season started early in Victoria with about 100 spot fires and "Victoria had over 200 fires last week and New South Wales have 30 or 40 fires today" This has made comparisons to the Ash Wednesday bushfires more from ABC news rural 13 February 2006 Bushfires have destroyed 6 houses in Central Victoria over the weekend inlcding 100o hectares of pine planation. more from ABC Online news 25 January 2006 Bushfires continue to burn across Victoria as residents are on high alert. Overnight ember attacks are being fought off in the Grampians in Victoria's west and in Gippsland. more from ABC Online news 30 December 2005 The eastern NSW coast is bracing for very high fire dangers and possible bushfires 29 December 2005 2 Houses were destroyed in Canberra by a bushfire that is thought to be arson. 21 December 2005 Fires are burning near Sydney at Allambie Heights. It is heading in a westerly direction according to a NSW Fire brigade spokesman. 1 December 2004 Bushfires have caused damage including destroyed crops and burnt sheep near the NSW areas of Parkes which is close to one of the world's largest Radio Telescopes. The latest headlines for Bushfires via google news search Australian Road Traffic Authorities phone 13 27 01 provides information about the current road situation including road closures due to fires. ABC Rural News provides excellent bushfire reports. Current satellite images of all the fires around australia is available from the sentinal CSIRO network.

Here are some useful links to resources and general information about bushfires CSIRO bushfire research Bushfire weather from BoM ACT Emergency Services Bureau NSW rural firesevice Victoria Country Fire Authority Victorian Department of Sustainability - Fires South Australia Country Fire Service Western Australia Fire and Emergency Services Authority of WA. Northern Territory bushfire council Tasmania Fire Service Queensland Fire Service International sites Canadian National Forest Fire Report United States WildFire fighters Nature & Science News ClearlyExplained.Com

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How do bushfires occur? For a bushfire to start there needs to be fuel, in the form of leaves and/or wood and a ignition flame point. This ignition can be caused either naturally by a lightening strike, spontaneous combustion or a deliberate/accidental flame.   Australian Bushfires are particularly severe as eucalyptus tree leaves contain large amounts of oil that act much like any oil and burn very fast and hot. So how does a house burn down in a bushfire even if there are no trees are directly touching the house? Two main reasons: The water pressure at the local tap is too low for fire fighters to do anything. Wind can send flying embers from the main fire which catch in gutters and ignite leaves or other materials around the house. remember to keep your property clear of leaves if possible. Tips for protecting your House 1. people should avoid living in or too close to the bush 2. avoid planting tall eucalypts near their houses 3. reduce fuel load - get rid of leaves, fallen bark, dry wood around houses 4. plant deciduous trees around the house rather than native trees 5. ensure gutterings are clear of dry vegetation. Thanks to Kath O'Brian for this bushfires and communities, minimising the impact of bushfires on communties. Extra Info: Why and how bushfires happen Extra Info: Backburning in controlling bushfires to prevent spreading

How do bush fires progress? There are several major factors that affect the progress of a bushfire high winds (provide more oxygen) amount of fuel( eg leaves) low humidity high air temperature All these contribute to the way a bushfire progresses. These factors then combine with the terrain The kind of terrain, eg hills and slopes, for example fires tend to spread faster up sides of hills. Additionally flying burning embers of a main fire front can set spot fires ahead. The fire basically basically leaps ahead of itself helped by the wind. How are plants and animals affected by bushfires? Plants typically their leaves and bark burn but many plants are adapted to regrow. Though it sometimes depends on how hot the fire is. A detailed article on plant ecology and biodiveristy of how plants are affected, in some cases benefit from bushfires...Australian National Botanical Gardens Animals have a much harder time. The only animal able to properly survive are wombats that dig under the ground. Many animals die from smoke or are burnt. Extra Info : How animals are affected by bushfires For more info email see also Geographical processes in bushfires Looking for another Natural Disaster? check out Cyclones ClearlyExplained.Com Floods ClearlyExplained.Com

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What is the history of bushfires? Bushfires have existed for as long as trees have been around. The kind of Australian trees that tend to burn most vigerously evolved millions of years ago to cope with the dry conditions as Continental Australia drifted slowly towards the equator. Ash Wednesday bushfires

Ancient indigenous aboriginals learned through thousands of years to use controlled burning to encourage new growth of plants.   see also Culture/Society of Bushfires ClearlyExplained.Com [soon]

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The future of bushfires. Bushfires will continue to play a role in Australia's ecosystem, economy and social, environoment development. The ability to predict and to combat or prevent fires that threaten people's homes will be come more critical.

Further scientific research into fire behaviour is likely to provide more defences against dealing with this natural phenomena. The CSIRO is actively involved in improving the ability to predict where bushfires are likely occur and how they spread. Also check out the future of bushfire technology ClearlyExplained.com

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