- Australia's deadly bushfires sparked in September 2019 and have been blazing ever since. A prolonged drought that began in 2017 made this year's bushfire season more devastating than ever.
- The fires created unprecedented damage, destroying more than 14 million acres of land and killing more than 20 people and an estimated 1 billion animals.
- From the driest September ever in 2018 to the raging fires of January 2020, here's a timeline with photos and detailed maps that show how the Australian bushfires happened.
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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 ...
What was the biggest bushfire in Australia?
2009 Black Saturday bushfiresMajor bushfires in Australia The 2009 Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria claimed 173 lives over 21 days- the largest number of deaths recorded for any individual Australian bushfire or bushfire season.
How did the bushfires start in Australia 2019?
On 3 February 2020 local media reported that the Kangaroo Island fires had been started by lightning. 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.
How did Australia bushfire start?
Bushfires are common in Australia during the hot summer, which begins in December, but they started much earlier this year, blamed, in part, on dry conditions exacerbated by a warming climate. A three-year drought has left much of Australia tinder dry.04-Jan-2020
Are the fires still happening in Australia?
Record-breaking temperatures and months of severe drought have fuelled a series of massive bushfires across Australia. Although recent cooler conditions and rain have brought some respite, more than 50 fires are still burning in the states of New South Wales and Victoria.31-Jan-2020
Will there be bushfires in 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
How many people died in the 2019/2020 bushfires?
34 peopleNumber of deaths due to the bushfire season Australia 2019-2020 by state. As of Januray 2020, 25 people had lost their lives in New South Wales due to the 2019/2020 Australian bushfire season. A total of 34 people had died in the bushfires since October 2019.23-Mar-2020
Why is Australia called the bush?
The Australian and New Zealand usage of the word "bush" for “forest” or scrubland, probably comes from the Dutch word "bos/bosch" ("forest"), used by early Dutch settlers in South Africa, where it came to signify uncultivated country among Afrikaners.
How did Kangaroo Island fire start 2020?
Fires started on the North Coast of the Island on the 20th December, 2019, from lightning strikes, and by the 30th December were relatively under control, burning within contained lines.
How did the Australian bushfires end?
A massive dump of water - more than 400mm (15.7in) in some places - caused flooding and transport chaos, but also helped finish off many of the fires. On Thursday, authorities announced with delight that every single fire in the state had been contained.14-Feb-2020
When did the fires in Australia start 2020?
October 2019The 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.04-Nov-2021
Are Australian fires due to climate change?
Devastating wildfires blazed across southeastern Australia in late 2019 and early 2020. Researchers now report that human-caused climate change made those fires at least 30 percent more likely to occur.29-Apr-2020
Why is Australia prone to bushfires?
The Australian climate is generally hot, dry and prone to drought. At any time of the year, some parts of Australia are prone to bushfires. The widely varied fire seasons are reflected in the continent's different weather patterns. For most of southern Australia, the danger period is summer and autumn.
How many hectares of land have been burned in NSW?
As of 28 January 2020, the fires in NSW had burnt 5.3 million hectares (6.7% of the State), including 2.7 million hectares in national parks (37% of the State’s national park estate). The Department also notes that in NSW:
How much fodder did the ADF have in 2020?
According to the Operation Bushfire Assist webpage, as at 10 March 2020 the ADF had: 1.3 million kilograms of fodder.
How many homes were destroyed in the Black Saturday fires?
AFAC has reported that 450,000 hectares of land were burned and 2,029 homes were lost in the Black Saturday fires. The National Museum of Australia notes that 120 people died in the Kinglake area alone and that the RSPCA estimated that ‘up to one million wild and domesticated animals died in the disaster’.
How many firefighters are there in Australia?
According to Table 9A.3 in Part D, Section 9 of the Productivity Commission’s Report on Government Services 2020 published on 29 January 2020, for the year 2018–19 there were 15,817 firefighters in Australia (this includes permanent and part-time personnel, but excludes ‘support workforce’).
How much land has been burned on Kangaroo Island?
Various sources quoted an incident update from the South Australian Country Fire Service (CFS) on 31 January 2020 which reported that 210,606 hectares of land on Kangaroo Island (about 48 per cent of the Island) had been burned.
What causes bushfires?
Bushfires are the result of a combination of weather and vegetation (which acts as a fuel for the fire), together with a way for the fire to begin – most commonly due to a lightning strike and sometimes human-influences (mostly accidental such as the use of machinery which produces a spark).
How many aircraft are in the National Aerial Firefighting Fleet?
The National Aerial Firefighting Fleet comprises approximately 130 contracted aircraft. These aircraft, contracted by NAFC on behalf of state and territory governments, are supplemented by additional state owned, and state contracted aircraft and other aircraft hired to meet peak demand across Australia.
How many people died in the 2019 bushfires in Australia?
The fires created unprecedented damage, destroying more than 14 million acres of land and killing more than 20 people and an estimated 1 billion animals.
When is the bushfire season in Australia?
September to November 2019: Australia experiences its driest spring on record. Droughts continued in 2019. October 2019: Australia's annual bushfire season officially begins. The prolonged drought causes embers from fires to spread, leading to more intense fires in the 2019 season.
When will the fires in New South Wales end?
January 6, 2020: Decreasing winds and temperatures in Victoria and New South Wales ease conditions, but fires are expected to continue burning for weeks, according to the Guardian. A burnt bicycle lies on the ground in front of a house recently destroyed by bushfires near Sydney on December 21, 2019.
When will the next bushfires start?
Thick plumes of smoke rise from bushfires at the coast of East Gippsland, Victoria on January 4, 2020. December 31, 2019: The fires continue to worsen. The fires have killed a total of at least 16 people. Smoke billows during bushfires in Bairnsdale, Victoria, Australia, on December 30, 2019.
When will Australia be in drought?
September 2019: Australia's Weather Bureau predicts at least three more months of drought as fires begin to spark. A view of cracked earth due to drought at a small water reservoir in Armidale in rural Australia on September 24, 2019. Jonathan Barrett/Reuters. Source: Business Insider.
When will Australia open bushfire evacuation centers?
January 1, 2020 : Out of necessity, Australia opens 15 South Coast bushfire evacuation centers. A cleared-out section of a supermarket near the evacuation shelter that had been set up in the Narooma sports and leisure center. Rosie Perper/Business Insider. Source: The Sydney Morning Herald.
When will Australia get warmer in 2020?
Temperatures in southeastern Australia on January 4, 2020. Australian Bureau of Meteorology. Source: Business Insider. December 21, 2019: A bushfire in the East Gippsland region of Victoria begins creating its own weather. The smoke generates clouds that create thunderstorms ultimately leading to more fires.
What was the impact of the bushfires in 2019?
Summary. The bushfire season in 2019–20 saw unprecedented fires sweep across Australia with a massive impact on many communities (Australian Academy of Science 2020). In a season marked by severe and protracted drought, the natural environment was particularly devastated; scientists have estimated that, in the forests and woodlands ...
How many people died in the 2019 bushfires?
Thirty-three people lost their lives in the 2019–20 bushfire season (Parliament of Australia 2020). There were substantial property losses, as well as threats to lives and property that forced people to evacuate from their homes (Biddle et al. 2020).
When is the next bushfire report?
This report examines short-term health impacts of the 2019–20 bushfires—those that became apparent in the immediate days and weeks thereafter—with a focus on providing insights from health data. Data in this report concentrate on the period from September 2019 to March 2020.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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, ...
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.
What are the effects of smoke inhalation?
The effects of smoke exposure and inhalation range from eye and respiratory tract irritation to more serious disorders, including reduced lung function, bronchitis, exacerbated asthma and premature death. Exposure to particulate matter is the main public health threat from short-term exposure to wildfire smoke.
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.
What forests burned in the Gondwana?
FIRES BURNT THROUGH RAINFOREST. The Gondwana Rainforests are usually considered too damp to burn but they also went up in flames. About 54 per cent of the Gondwana Rainforests in NSW and Queensland burned. These forests have developed over millions of years in a fire-free state and are not.
What cities were affected by the Gospers Mountain Fire?
Bushfire smoke blanketed cities including Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra. Parts of Sydney experienced air quality more than 12 times the hazardous level and heavy smoke blanked the city especially throughout December as the Gospers Mountain Fire burned out of control.
How many people died in the NSW fires?
A record 2439 homes were destroyed in NSW, and the fires killed 25 people in the state including three volunteer firefighters and three aerial firefighting crew. An estimated one billion animals were killed by the bushfires in Australia, 800 million of these were in NSW.
How many hectares did the 2019 bushfires burn?
Summer of Crisis details the grim toll to Australia’s economy, its environment and animal life of the horrific bushfire season. The fires burned more than 11 million hectares – an area larger than Ireland or South Korea – ...
How much did the bushfires cost?
BILLION-DOLLAR COST. The bushfires are expected to cost the tourism sector alone at least $4.5 billion. “It is estimated that there was a 10-20 per cent drop in international visitors booking holidays to Australia,” the report said.
How much carbon dioxide did the bushfires release?
The bushfires are estimated to have released between 650 million and 1.2 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This is more than the annual emissions of Germany and far higher than Australia’s annual emissions of around 531 million tonnes.
Which state has the worst bushfire season?
The report focuses on NSW, which experienced its worst bushfire season on record, and the Australian Capital Territory because this is where the impacts were most severe. However, it noted that the fires also affected Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania. Here are some of the impacts.