Australian Bushfires
On Febuary 7th 2009 at around mid-day, the Australian state of Victoria burst into flames in one of the biggest Bushfires since records began. This day was to be known as Black Saturday. The fires occurred during a period of extremly high temperatures that reached as high as 48.8 degree's celcius. The people of Victoria were told to prepare for bushfires,and do whatever necersery to protect thier properties and themselves. This bushfire resulted in Australia's highest ever loss of life from a bushfire; 173 people died and 414 were injured as a result of the fires. But why did this raging torrent of flames start? And how?
The week before Black Saturday, Victoria had been in a state of drought. this meant everything was very dry, but also very falmable. on Friday 6th people were warned that Bushfires were a stong possiblity for the next day. Some people left, other prepared their homes for the fires, and other simply stayed and carried on with life as usual. The next day the temperatures began to rise. The fire brigade were all on stand-by. then at around mid-day they recieved thier first call. A small fire had started near the town of Kilmore East. This fire was to become the fire that engulfed a whole state in flames. Then another fire started, this fire was called the Murrindindi Fire and blew even more embers along. Later in the day there was a sudden wind change. Bushfires are at their most deadly and unpredictable when there is a wind change. After the wind change, the fire fronts were now 30km wide and advancing. The whole state was now in meltdown. The fire was moving at such a fast rate that nobody expected it when it reached their area and by the time the blaze it was too late. The sky turned black in the middle of the day. Everybody, even the autorities, didnt know what to do. By the time the fire had passed, nothing was left. the amount of energy produced was equivilant to the amount produced when 200-400 atomic bomb, the same as were droped on horoshima, going off at once. On saturday 7th of February 2009, 173 people died and 414 injured.
The week before Black Saturday, Victoria had been in a state of drought. this meant everything was very dry, but also very falmable. on Friday 6th people were warned that Bushfires were a stong possiblity for the next day. Some people left, other prepared their homes for the fires, and other simply stayed and carried on with life as usual. The next day the temperatures began to rise. The fire brigade were all on stand-by. then at around mid-day they recieved thier first call. A small fire had started near the town of Kilmore East. This fire was to become the fire that engulfed a whole state in flames. Then another fire started, this fire was called the Murrindindi Fire and blew even more embers along. Later in the day there was a sudden wind change. Bushfires are at their most deadly and unpredictable when there is a wind change. After the wind change, the fire fronts were now 30km wide and advancing. The whole state was now in meltdown. The fire was moving at such a fast rate that nobody expected it when it reached their area and by the time the blaze it was too late. The sky turned black in the middle of the day. Everybody, even the autorities, didnt know what to do. By the time the fire had passed, nothing was left. the amount of energy produced was equivilant to the amount produced when 200-400 atomic bomb, the same as were droped on horoshima, going off at once. On saturday 7th of February 2009, 173 people died and 414 injured.