List of major bushfires in Australia
| Date | Name or description | State (s) / territories | Area burned (approx.) | Area burned (approx.) |
| 11 – 14 February 2017 | 2017 New South Wales bushfires | New South Wales | 52,000 | 130,000 |
| early February 2019 | Tingha bushfire | New South Wales | 23,419 | 57,870 |
| 5 September 2019 – 2 March 2020 | 2019–20 Australian bushfire season (Blac ... | Nationwide | 18,626,000 | 46,030,000 |
| 1 June 2020 - 1 June 2021 | 2020-21 Australian BushfireSeasons | Nationwide | 250,000 | 617,763 |
Why does Australia have so many bushfires?
There are several reasons first obviously fires need highly combustible fuel to survive and grow. Unfortunately, Australia has some of the best combustible bush and trees in the world including Eucalyptus trees which not only burn easily at a great heat but can also explode due to the build-up of gasses from the eucalyptus oils.
Where are bushfires most common in Australia?
- Smoking or a discarded cigarette butt
- Burning off/debris
- Arson
Does Australia have the most bushfires in the world?
Bushfires in Australia are a widespread and regular occurrence that have contributed significantly to shaping the nature of the continent over millions of years.Eastern Australia is one of the most fire-prone regions of the world, and its predominant eucalyptus forests have evolved to thrive on the phenomenon of bushfire.
How can we prevent bushfires in Australia?
We can prevent bush fires from burning down homes and killing wildlife by cleaning liter off the ground, stop people from littering and throwing rubish everywere, contact the police if anything seems suspicious like if someone looks like there about to light a fire or something, never light a fire on a hot/windy day because fires can easily spread if the wind is strong enough or its hot enough ...
Is Australia still burning 2021?
The Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and southern New South Wales are expected to have a below normal fire potential as a result of vegetation still recovering from the 2020-21 Australian bushfire season....2021–22 Australian bushfire seasonDate(s)August 2021 – January 2022Buildings destroyed6Deaths1Season3 more rows
What was the cause of the Australian bushfires 2020?
The results indicate that the ongoing drought, surface soil moisture, wind speed, relative humidity, heat waves, dead and live fuel moisture, and land cover with certain vegetation (particularly native eucalyptus and grazing land) are the primary causes of the widespread bushfire.
How did the bushfires start in Australia 2019?
According to the Victorian Country Fire Authority (CFA) and the NSW RFS, the majority of the 2019–20 fires in Victoria and NSW were caused by lightning.
What was the worst bushfire in Australia?
The Black Saturday bushfiresThe Black Saturday bushfires were the worst in Australia's history, killing 173 people. Almost 80 communities and entire towns were left unrecognisable. The fires burned more than 2,000 properties and 61 businesses.
Is Australia still on fire?
Bush fire season is underway again in Australia, where summer has just kicked off. Yet the country is still recovering from record-breaking wildfires two years ago that killed at least 33 people, destroyed thousands of homes and burned more than 65,000 square miles of land.
When did bushfires end?
By 4 March 2020 all fires in New South Wales had been extinguished completely (to the point where there were no fires in the state for the first time since July 2019), and the Victoria fires had all been contained.
How long has Australia been on fire?
Australia Wildfires The 2019–2020 Australian bushfire season, which stretched from June 2019 to March 2020, devastated portions of the country, scorching an estimated 46 million acres, destroying more than 5,900 buildings (including 2,779 homes), and killing at least 34 people.
When did the Australian fires start 2020?
The catastrophic wildfires that scorched eucalyptus forests in southern and eastern Australia in the summer of 2019-2020 were unprecedented in their scale and intensity. Started in October 2019 and burning through January 2020, they scorched millions of hectares and killed or displaced an estimated 3 billion animals.
What are the three main causes of bushfires?
The basic factors which determine whether a bushfire will occur include the presence of fuel, oxygen and an ignition source.
What is the biggest fire in the world?
List of largest fires of the 21st centuryRankNameCountry12019-2020 Australian bushfire seasonAustralia22021 Russia wildfiresRussia32019 Siberia wildfiresRussia42014 Northwest Territories firesCanada9 more rows
What country has the most fires?
Fires1Lesotho14.672Swaziland9.323Zimbabwe7.794South Africa6.645Botswana6.18160 more rows
Who helped Australia with the bushfires?
Fire crews across the country have been joined by 3,000 army, navy and air force reservists who are assisting with search and rescue and clean-up efforts. Further support has come from the US, Canada, and New Zealand, who have sent additional teams and equipment to help.
When was Australia hit by bushfires?
Even before the challenges of COVID-19, Australia was hit hard by bushfires during summer 2019-20 - the most catastrophic bushfire season ever experienced in the country’s history. So much was lost, and the impacts will be felt for years to come.
What is the response to the 2019-20 bushfires?
The response and rescue efforts as the world came together during Australia’s devastating 2019-20 bushfires. Working together to protect wildlife and restore habitats after the fires. Securing the future of Australia’s native wildlife and precious natural resources for people and nature. Thank you for your enquiry.
Where are the most fires in Australia?
In terms of the total area burnt, the largest fires are in the Northern Territory and northern areas of Western Australia and Queensland . Most loss of life and economic damage occurs around the fringes of cities where homes are commonly in close proximity to flammable vegetation.
How can bushfires be averted?
While naturally occurring bushfires cannot be averted, their consequences can be minimised by implementing mitigation strategies and reducing the potential impact to areas which are most vulnerable.
How fast can a bushfire be spotted?
Spotting can occur up to 30km downwind from the fire front. There is a threshold wind speed of around 12 to 15km/h which makes a significant difference in the behaviour of bushfires in the open. When wind speeds are below this threshold, fires with heavy fuel loads burn slowly.
How fast do grassfires move?
Grassfires are fast moving, passing in five to ten seconds and smouldering for minutes. They have a low to medium intensity and primarily damage crops, livestock and farming infrastructure, such as fences. Bushfires are generally slower moving, but have a higher heat output.
How does wind help in fire?
Wind acts to drive a fire by blowing the flames into fresh fuel, bringing it to ignition point and providing a continuous supply of oxygen. Wind also promotes the rapid spread of fire by spotting, which is the ignition of new fires by burning embers lofted into the air by wind.
What is geoscience Australia?
Geoscience Australia: develops an understanding of natural hazards and community exposure to support risk mitigation and community resilience. provides authoritative, independent information and advice to the Australian Government and other stakeholders to support risk mitigation and community resilience.
Why does a fire start at high temperatures?
This is because the fuel is closer to its ignition point at high temperatures and pre-heated fuel loads burn faster.
How did bushfires affect Australia?
These environmental conditions exacerbated the spread of bush fires throughout the country. Smoke haze and particulate matter affected the lives of many in the eastern and southern states. Air pollution reached dangerous levels in NSW in particular, with some areas exceeding levels deemed safe by the Australian Government by over 20 times.
When is bushfire season in Australia?
Christopher Hughes. Research expert covering Australia and New Zealand. Get in touch with us now. , Jan 13, 2021. The Australian 2019/2020 bushfire season was one of the worst in recent times in the world. The season started in early November 2019 in New South Wales, and gradually progressed in Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia, ...
What was the highest temperature in Australia in 1960?
While Australia’s highest temperature recorded in one day was 50.7 degrees Celsius in 1960, 2019 was on average the warmest year on record.
How much were the bushfires worth in 2020?
Thousands of homes as well as commercial buildings were destroyed or partially damaged, and early insurance claims were valued at 1.9 billion Australian dollars in February 2020.
How much is the Australian bush fire relief package?
In early 2020, the Australian Government announced a two billion (AUD) bush fire relief package, with a large portion of these funds allocated to primary producers. This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct.
How many animals were killed in the Gondwana?
As a result of the massive habitat losses, an estimated 1.5 billion animals were killed as their homes were destroyed.
How many people died in the 2009 bushfires in Australia?
Of all the recorded fires in Australia, the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires in the state of Victoria claimed the largest number of recorded deaths of any individual Australian bushfire or bushfires season – 173 fatalities over 21 days. The largest known area burnt was between 100–117 million hectares (250–290 million acres), ...
How many acres were burned in the 2004 bushfires?
The 2004 National Inquiry on Bushfire Mitigation and Management reports a total of 102 million hectares (250 million acres) The extent of the 1974–75 bushfire season was not known until after the event when satellite images were analysed, due to the fires being mostly located in very remote areas of the continent.
Why are bushfires not expensive?
In terms of monetary cost however, bushfires have not cost as much in financial terms as the damage caused by drought, severe storms, hail, and cyclones, perhaps because they most commonly occur outside highly populated urban areas. Of all the recorded fires in Australia, the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires in the state of Victoria claimed ...
How much land did fires burn in 1974?
In 1974-75, lush growth of grasses and forbs following exceptionally heavy rainfall in the previous two years provided continuous fuels through much of central Australia and in this season fires burnt over 117 million hectares or 15 per cent of the total land area of this continent.
Why do bushfires happen in Australia?
A Increase font size. In Australia, severe bushfires often occur after record high temperatures, low relative humidity and strong winds. Image credit: Getty. Bushfires, although a part of the Australian landscape for millions of years, have a wrought a significant amount of damage, some far worse than others.
What are the conditions for bushfires?
The most devastating fires are usually preceded by record high temperatures, low relative humidity and strong winds, which create ideal conditions for the rapid spread of fire. Though much of Australia has come out of severe drought and much of the outback is green, this spells trouble for bushfires, as grasslands have significantly increased – providing a ready fuel source for bushfires.
How many hectares of land were burned in the Black Summer fires?
High temperatures following years of repeated drought brought one of the worst bushfires seasons to ever strike. The Black Summer fires ravaged the Australian landscape, in NSW alone 5.4 million hectares burned sending recording breaking temperatures across the country. Smoke from the fires was responsible for 450 deaths, while2 6 fatalities were directly caused by the fires. In total, over 18 million hectares of land burnt, creating devastating losses for biodiversity.
What caused the fires in South Australia?
Widespread drought, gale-force winds, high temperatures and low relative humidity set the scene for a series of fires across Victoria and south-eastern South Australia. Accidents and arsonists started most of the fires, which spread rapidly through scenic residential regions near Melbourne and Adelaide, resulting in the death of 75 people and the destruction of nearly 1900 homes.
How many people died in the Black Friday fires?
In all, 71 people were killed and 650 houses were destroyed. A Royal Commission investigation into the fires led to increased fire awareness and prevention efforts throughout Australia.
When did the Gippsland fires happen?
Gippsland fires and Black Sunday (VIC), 1 Feb-10 Mar 1926. Large areas of Gippsland caught fire, culminating in the Black Sunday fires on 14 February that killed 31 people in Warburton, near Melbourne. Over the two-month period, a total of 60 people were killed. Advertisement.
Is the bushfire a part of the Australian landscape?
Bushfires, although a part of the Australian landscape for millions of years, have a wrought a significant amount of damage, some far worse than others.
Where is smoke from the Australian bushfires?
Smoke from the 2019-2020 Australian bushfires is seen from space drifting across the Pacific Ocean. Source: NASA. 5.
How many buildings have been destroyed in the Australian bushfires?
Over 18 million hectares have burned in the Australian bushfire season 2019–2020 as of mid-January according to media reports, destroying over 5,900 buildings including over 2,800 homes. In addition to human fatalities, many millions of animals are reported to have been killed.
How do bushfires affect climate?
The bushfires have not only been made more likely and intense by climate change, they also add to it. Until the 2019–2020 Australian bushfire season, the forests in Australia were thought to reabsorb all the carbon released in bushfires across the country. This would mean the forests achieved net zero emissions. However, global warming is making bushfires burn more intensely and frequently and the 2019–2020 bushfires have already emitted 400 megatonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, according to the Copernicus monitoring programme. This is as much as Australia's average annual carbon dioxide emissions in just the past three months. These will increase Australia’s annual greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to global warming, and heighten the likelihood of recurring megafires that will release yet more emissions. This is a deeply concerning climate feedback loop.
How does smoke from fires affect the atmosphere?
Smoke from wildfires can travel great distances. It is often pushed into the stratosphere by the heat from fires. Smoke from bushfires in Australia has drifted across the Pacific and may have reached the Antarctic, according to the World Meteorological Organization. This has led to hazardous air quality in major cities throughout Australia, and affected New Zealand and cities in South America after smoke reached both Argentina and Chile.
Why are wildfires dangerous?
Close to the fires, smoke is a health risk because it contains a mixture of hazardous gases and particles that can irritate the eyes and the respiratory system.
Why do people wear masks in Australia?
People wear breathing masks to protect themselves from a thick smoke haze from the bushfires, in Melbourne, Australia January 14, 2020. Photo by AAP Image/David Crosling/via REUTERS. 4. The impacts of the fires crosses borders. Smoke from wildfires can travel great distances.
How much carbon dioxide did the bushfires emit?
However, global warming is making bushfires burn more intensely and frequently and the 2019–2020 bushfires have already emitted 400 megatonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, according to the Copernicus monitoring programme.
How many animals have been killed in the bushfires?
How Wildlife is Impacted. One aspect of the bushfires that has caused it to gain so much attention is the impact on wildlife. As many as 480 million animals have been killed in the fires. All animals have their own defense mechanisms when it comes to natural disasters.
How many koalas have died in the fires?
It is estimated that as many as 8,000 koalas have died from the current bushfires, and the loss of eucalyptus trees and water supply will continue to affect them when the fires are finished. About 30% of their key habitat has been destroyed. The koalas are not the only wildlife that is suffering.
Why are fires so severe?
While the causes of fires starting can vary from natural to man-made reasons, the severity of fires and the damage they do is increasingly linked to climate change. According to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), climate change is directly affecting the bushfires in Australia, and the fire seasons are becoming increasingly longer and more severe.
What happens when fires end?
When the fires come to an end there will be a long road to recovery. While forests and lands are capable of regenerating themselves, not everything will be capable of growing back due to the intensity of the fires, which is cause for human intervention and rehabilitation.
Is there a fire in Australia?
With evidence that climate change is causing Earth's temperatures to rise, we are seeing fires around the world increase and occur in areas that have not historically experienced them. Some have said that the bushfires in New South Wales and Queensland Australia are a regular natural occurrence. However, scientists and experts alike (even firefighters agree) that the fires here have been increasing in size, duration, and intensity - and causing unprecedented damage to the environment and local wildlife.
Can kangaroos flee fires?
While many animals like kang aroos and birds can flee from the fires, fleeing also poses a threat to these animals, sometimes resulting in their being hit by cars or even attacked by dogs. If they do manage to seek refuge there is not enough water to keep them well.
Do koalas flee from fires?
But now the mechanisms once used have been diminished by previous fires and deforestation. For example, the devastating effect the bushfires have had on the Koala population. They are a slow moving animal which does not allow them to flee fast enough from the fires.
What caused the 2021 wildfires in Australia?
What caused the 2021 Australia wildfires? Many pointed to climate change as the root cause of the 2019-2020 Australian bushfires, and now, experts are looking at global warming as the leading cause of the 2021 wildfires, as well. The most recent wildfires began with a small house fire on Tuesday, Feb.
How many homes were destroyed by wildfires in Australia?
As of Wednesday, Feb. 3, over 70 homes were consumed by wildfires in Australia's west coast city of Perth, which has been in COVID-19 lockdown since Sunday, Jan. 31, as per the Associated Press.
What happened in Australia in 2020?
At the start of 2020, countries worldwide were just starting to grapple with the effects of the the pandemic, but at the same time, Australia was also suffering from devastating bushfires that tore through communities, resulting in countless fatalities, and massive amounts of land damage.