Black Saturday bushfires
The Black Saturday bushfires were a series of bushfires that ignited or were burning across the Australian state of Victoria on and around Saturday, 7 February 2009 and were among Australia's all-time worst bushfire disasters. The fires occurred during extreme bushfire weather c…
How many people died in the Black Saturday bushfires?
The Black Saturday bushfires killed 173 people, 120 in the Kinglake area alone. Another 414 people were injured. More than 450,000 hectares had burned and 3500 buildings including more than 2000 houses destroyed. The RSPCA estimated that up to one million wild and domesticated animals died in the disaster.
What happened on Black Saturday?
Black Saturday was Australia's deadliest bushfire event Ten years ago, Australia experienced its worst-ever bushfire disaster when 173 people died across the state of Victoria. Immediately branded "one of the darkest days in Australia's peacetime history", Black Saturday has left a profound legacy.
How long did it take to extinguish the Black Saturday bushfires?
It would take weeks before weather changes, reduction of fuel loads and human intervention extinguished the fires. The Black Saturday bushfires killed 173 people, 120 in the Kinglake area alone. Another 414 people were injured. More than 450,000 hectares had burned and 3500 buildings including more than 2000 houses destroyed.
What do you know about the Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria?
The 2009 Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria caused widespread devastation. One hundred and seventy-three people lost their lives, 414 were injured, more than a million animals were lost, and 450,000 hectares of land were burned. Can you find out? 1. How did the use of fire in Australia change after European settlers arrived? 2.
What happened in the Black Saturday bushfires?
Black Saturday bushfires raged across the state of Victoria, Australia, throughout the month of February, when this image was taken. The red squares mark active fires, burning near the Great Dividing Range and threatening the water supply of Victoria's capital and most populous city, Melbourne.
What effect did the Black Saturday bushfires start?
The Black Saturday fires began with the Kilmore East fire when fallen power-lines started a blaze in farmland at 11.47 am. This fire spread quickly through a pine plantation and crossed the Hume Freeway at 1.58 pm. The fire burnt through Wandong and reached Mount Disappointment at approximately 3 pm.
What were the main causes of the Black Saturday bushfires?
Black Saturday bushfiresCauseVarious confirmed sources including: Power lines Arson Lightning MachineryLand useUrban/Rural Fringe Areas, Farmland, and Forest Reserves/National ParksBuildings destroyed3,500+ (2,029 houses)Deaths1736 more rows
How did people react to the Black Saturday bushfires?
The bushfire appeal raised more than $372 million in total. The appeal by the Australian Red Cross raised over $315 million. The Red Cross Blood Service received 6,000 offers of blood donations on the morning of 9 February alone. The Salvation Army appeal raised $17.5 million.
How did Black Saturday affect the environment?
Environmental/Social/Economic Impacts - ABC BUSHFIRES. One of the major impacts from the Black Saturday bushfires was the huge amount of loss on flora and fauna. The RSPCA estimated that over one million animals died from the Black Saturday bushfires, and the animals that did survive were severely burnt.
What made the Black Saturday bushfire worse?
This day coincided with the worst bushfire weather conditions ever recorded. Extreme heat, high winds, low humidity, and severe drought were all factors in fanning the flames on that tragic day. These fires also caused the greatest loss of life for a bushfire and wiped whole towns off the map.
How many deaths were there on Black Saturday?
173Black Saturday bushfires / Number of deaths
How did Black Saturday happen?
The fire started at about 11.47am, on top of a rocky hill between two gullies near Saunders Road. The fire ignited at about 12.20pm; it was a grass fire and in the first hour spread rapidly, covering just over 10 kilometres.
What was the biggest bushfire in the world?
1987 Black Dragon Fire (China and Russia) – 2.5 Million Acres. Also known as the Daxing'annling Wildfire, the Black Dragon fire of 1987 may have been the largest single fire in the world in the past several hundred years as well as the deadliest forest fire in the People's Republic of China.
How long did it take to recover from Black Saturday?
People are generally extraordinarily resilient and we need to applaud that, but the disruption to lives continues well after the initial crisis clears. We found: a slump in life satisfaction from three to five years after the bushfires, which improved again at ten years after the bushfires.
What changed after Black Saturday?
Subsequent changes included greater emphasis in public messaging on leaving early as the safest response to bushfires, revision of the Fire Danger Rating system to include an additional 'Code Red' or 'Catastrophic' rating, stringent land-use planning and building controls and greater provision of sheltering advice and ...
How many firefighters died in the Black Saturday bushfires?
two firefightersBlack Saturday, 2009 173 people died (including two firefighters) 2,055 houses were destroyed and. over 400,000 hectares of land were burned.
How did the Australian bushfires affect society?
Several studies demonstrate the lasting psychological effects of bushfire exposure, including increased rates of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and increased drug and alcohol use (35, 36).
How did the Black Saturday bushfires affect the economy?
By valuing a wide range of economic, social and environmental impacts and benefits through an economic loss assessment, the net cost of the Black Saturday Fires was estimated to be $942 million. This value was reached by deducting the total benefits ($1.998 billion) from the total losses ($2.939 billion).
How did the Australian bushfires affect the economy?
The report finds that the 2019-2020 bushfires caused an estimated $4-5 billion worth of economic losses to the Australian food system. There was also evidence of short-term increases in food prices and job losses in fire-affected areas, which added to the economic impact of the bushfires.
When did the Black Saturday bushfires start?
February 7, 2009Black Saturday bushfires / Start date
What was the Black Saturday disaster?
Black Saturday: The bushfire disaster that shook Australia. Ten years ago, Australia experienced its worst-ever bushfire disaster when 173 people died across the state of Victoria. Immediately branded "one of the darkest days in Australia's peacetime history", Black Saturday has left a profound legacy. Sharon Verghis reports.
How many people died in the Black Saturday fire?
Ten years ago, Australia experienced its worst-ever bushfire disaster when 173 people died across the state of Victoria. Immediately branded "one of the darkest days in Australia's peacetime history", Black Saturday has left a profound legacy. Sharon Verghis reports.
How far away was Mr Baetge when he saw fire?
Like Mr Thomas, the decision would almost cost him his life. At about 1830, Mr Baetge spotted fire on top of peaks about 3km (2 miles) away - with what he estimated to be 100m-high fireballs. Even for a bushfire veteran, he was shocked at the speed of the fire as it raced towards him.
How much did the Bushfire cost?
The inquiry put the financial cost of the disaster at A$4.4bn (£2.4bn; $3.14bn).
What are the mental health issues caused by the Bushfires?
The Beyond Bushfires report, which surveyed more than 1,000 people affected by the fires, found evidence of significant mental health issues including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and severe psychological distress. The rates were significantly higher than what would be expected in the general population, it found.
What time did the fire hit Mr Thomas' house?
At 18.45, the fire hit - "and pretty hard". Mr Thomas's family and the B&B guests ran for shelter in the house as he, his brother-in-law and an employee battled the fire. It was effectively three men with buckets and garden hoses against a roaring, wind-whipped blaze.
Where was David Baetge fighting for survival?
Nearby, David Baetge was also fighting for survival on his property near the town of Buxton, directly adjacent to a large state park.
What were the responses to the Black Saturday bushfires?
Responses to the Black Saturday bushfires included immediate community response, donations, and international aid efforts. Later responses included Government inquiries including a Royal Commission, and recommendations and discussions from a wide variety of bodies, organisations, authorities and communities.
When did the Black Saturday fires happen?
The Black Saturday bushfires were a series of bushfires that either ignited or were already burning across the Australian state of Victoria on and around Saturday, 7 February 2009, and were among Australia's all-time worst bushfire disasters. The fires occurred during extreme bushfire weather conditions and resulted in Australia's highest-ever loss ...
What happened on Black Saturday 2009?
The Black Saturday bushfires were a series of bushfires that either ignited or were already burning across the Australian state of Victoria on and around Saturday, 7 February 2009, and were among Australia's all-time worst bushfire disasters. The fires occurred during extreme bushfire weather conditions and resulted in Australia's highest-ever loss of human life from a bushfire, with 173 fatalities. Many people were left homeless as a result.
How much did the Black Saturday bushfires cost?
Aerial view of the Kinglake area looking north, nine months after bushfires (burnt area top third of image) The Bushfires Royal Commission gave a "conservative" estimate of the total cost of the Black Saturday bushfires of A$4.4 billion.
How many acres were burned in Kinglake?
The complex was the largest of the many fires burning on Black Saturday, ultimately destroying over 330,000 ha (820,000 acres).
How did the bushfires in the Dandenong Ranges happen?
In the southern Dandenong Ranges, bushfires ignited around Narre Warren, one of which was caused by sparks from a power tool. Six homes were destroyed in Narre Warren South and three in Narre Warren North.
What was the 9th deadliest bushfire?
The Black Saturday bushfires were the ninth deadliest bushfire/wildfire event in recorded history.
Why did bushfires become more intense?
Fewer controlled fires actually led to more uncontrolled and intense bushfires because there was more leaf litter and dense bushland which could burn. The first bushfires in the colony of New South Wales were reported in 1797. Fires have become larger, more frequent and more destructive over the past 230 years.
How many people died in the 2009 bushfires in Australia?
The 2009 Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria caused widespread devastation. One hundred and seventy-three people lost their lives, 414 were injured, more than a million animals were lost, and 450,000 hectares of land were burned.
Why did the British use fire in Australia?
After the arrival of the First Fleet of British colonisers in 1788 the way fire was used in Australia began to change. At first the new settlers used fire to clear land in a similar way to Aboriginal people. But soon they put up fences and buildings, planted crops and increased their herds of sheep and cattle. They wanted to protect all of these from fire. At the same time Aboriginal people were being driven off their traditional lands, so they were also lighting fewer fires.
How many people died in the Kinglake fire?
On 8 February many of the fires merged at Kinglake. The fires took weeks to extinguish. A total of 173 people died in the fires, 414 were injured and more than a million animals died. More than 450,000 hectares of land had burned and 3500 buildings including more than 2000 houses destroyed.
How many fires broke out in Victoria in 2009?
This resulted in many fires breaking out throughout the day. By evening almost 400 fires had broken out across Victoria.
How did Aboriginal people use fire?
They use fire to burn off grass and bush, keep trails clear, encourage new growth that will attract kangaroos and other prey and drive animals towards waiting hunters. These controlled burns changed the Australian environment by creating grassy woodlands, which lessened the intensity of new fires.
When did Melbourne get hot?
Months of hot and dry conditions in south-eastern Australia led to a heatwave in January 2009. Melbourne’s temperature peaked at 45.1 degrees on 30 January, one of the hottest days in the city’s history.
Where did the Black Saturday fires start?
The Black Saturday fires began with the Kilmore East fire when fallen power-lines started a blaze in farmland at 11.47 am. This fire spread quickly through a pine plantation and crossed the Hume Freeway at 1.58 pm. The fire burnt through Wandong and reached Mount Disappointment at approximately 3 pm. Strong westerly winds blew the fire towards Humevale and Kinglake with embers causing spot fires up to 20 - 40 kilometres away. Between 3.30 – 7 pm, the fire entered Kinglake National Park and continued onto Strathewen, St Andrews, Kinglake, Kinglake West, Chum Creek, Steels Creek, Arthurs Creek, Flowerdale, Broadford, Healesville and Toolangi. In this fire, 119 people died, 232 were injured and 1242 homes were lost.
How many people died in the Black Saturday fires?
The Black Saturday fires started on 7 February 2009. Approximately 400 fires were recorded across Victoria, affecting 78 communities. A total of 173 people died in the fires, and 2 029 houses were lost. A number of communities suffered extensive loss of life and property damage as a result of major fires, including:
What was the Bunyip fire?
Other major fires. The Bunyip fire broke containment lines in the Bunyip State Forest on the morning of 7 February. This fire destroyed 31 houses across the townships of Jindivick, Labertouche and Tonimbuk. The Horsham fire broke out as a grassfire at 12.20 pm.
How much did the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund raise?
The Appeal closed on 17 April 2009 and raised $379 million.
What time did the Murrindindi fire start?
Murrindindi. The Murrindindi fire reportedly began about 3 pm and quickly spread through the Murrindindi State Forest and Black Range. The fire continued through state forests before it reached Narbethong at 4.20 pm, destroying most of the houses in town.
How many homes were destroyed in the Horsham fire?
The Horsham fire broke out as a grassfire at 12.20 pm. The very strong winds blew the fire out of control, eventually destroying 13 homes.
How many homes were burned in the Bendigo fire?
The Bendigo fire began about 4 pm in Maiden Gully. The fire continued through Long Gully and Eaglehawk, where 58 homes were burnt and one person died.
What were the responses to the Black Saturday bushfires?
Responses to the Black Saturday bushfires included immediate community response, donations, and, later, international aid efforts, Government inquiries (including a Royal Commission), and recommendations and discussions from a wide variety of bodies, organisations, authorities and communities.
How many homes were destroyed in the Black Saturday fires?
Burning around 450,000 ha for over a month, the fires destroyed over 2,100 homes, destroyed several regional towns and were fought by over 5,000 firefighting personnel.
What happened to wildlife in Victoria?
As a result of the bushfires, many hundreds of burnt animals required care in wildlife centres across Victoria. Additionally, six wildlife care centres were destroyed by the bushfires. requested help to treat and feed the animals through the Bushfire Appeal. Wildlife Victoria The National Parks and Wildlife Service also requested donations be made for burnt and injured wildlife Foundation National Parks and Wildlife
What cricket matches were used to raise money for the fire victims?
Cricket Australia used a match scheduled for 10 February between Australia and New Zealand to raise money for fire victims. Sydney Cricket Ground Trust and Cricket NSW raised money from a Twenty20 Cricket match at the SCG between the Waugh XI and the Taylor XI. The Australian Football League moved the NAB Cup match on 13 February between Essendon Bombers and Western Bulldogs from Darwin to Melbourne as a bushfire appeal match. V8 Supercars Australia donated $100,000 and the use of their main transporter as a communications centre and command post for the duration of the crisis. Football Federation Australia donated $100,000 to the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal and will provide replacement football (soccer) equipment to Victorian schools and junior clubs affected by the disaster.
How much money did the Australian Red Cross raise for the bushfire?
The bushfire appeal raised more than $372 million in total. The appeal by the Australian Red Cross raised over $315 million. The Red Cross Blood Service received 6,000 offers of blood donations on the morning of 9 February alone. The Salvation Army appeal raised $17.5 million.
What banks have donated money to the fire victims?
Major banks National Australia Bank, ANZ, the Commonwealth Bank and Westpac each announced $1 million in donations for fire victims. Telstra, Australia's largest telecommunications company, donated $500,000 and pledged to match employee donations to the value of $250,000, bringing the total to over $1 million. Telstra also provided free telephone diversions to those affected and offered free local and mobile calls on selected public phone boxes in bushfire areas. Tabcorp donated $2 million.
Who hosted the Australian bushfire appeal?
Titled Australia Unites: The Victorian Bushfire Appeal, the event was hosted by Nine Network personality Eddie McGuire, and accompanied by many celebrities, athletes and entertainers, raising about A$20.5 million.
How many houses were destroyed in Black Saturday?
The fires burned about 300,000 hectares in a single day; 173 human lives were lost and more than 2,000 houses were destroyed in one afternoon.
What was Australia shocked at?
Australia was shocked at the scale of the destruction. Questions were soon being asked about how this could happen in the modern world, what could have been done to reduce the loss of lives and physical destruction, and what can be done to stop this happening again.
How has technology reduced the extent of dry firefighting techniques?
Other technology such as bigger, stronger fire trucks and the use of aircraft for water bombing has reduced the extent of dry firefighting techniques – that is, controlling fire using firebreaks, hand tools and backburning with little or no water used. This has increased the number of fires growing to damaging sizes and escaping control lines.
Why did people turn to capturing information about the fires?
As days passed and the fires were still being fully controlled , attention turned to capturing information about the fires so we could better understand what had happened. Victims and people affected by the fires were interviewed by journalists and social scientists, welfare workers and counsellors, friends and family. Nobody, at the time of the fires, had full knowledge of what had happened, so the collective knowledge pieced the puzzle together.
What was the Royal Commission's role in the Victorian fires?
Within a few days of the fire, the Victorian premier had announced a royal commission to investigate the cause of the fires, the factors leading to the unprecedented level of death and destruction, and the institutional response before, during and after the fires.
Is there a zero risk of bushfires in Australia?
This makes it clear that bushfires in Australia are a constant threat and the risk is never zero .
Will Black Saturday happen again?
An event like Black Saturday will occur again. The terrain, vegetation, climate and weather patterns in southeastern Australia ensure that. Climate change will increase this risk.
Where did the Sokaluk fire start?
Five days after the fire, police took Sokaluk back to Jelleff's Outlet, where the blaze started.
What did Justice Paul Coghlan say about the fires?
Justice Paul Coghlan told the court it was a catastrophic blaze. "The event was terrifying for all involved in the fires, whether directly or otherwise," he said. "For the victims, these were and are life-changing events and no sentence that I impose can compensate for their loss.".
How long was Brendan Sokaluk in jail?
Black Saturday arsonist jailed for almost 18 years. A former Victorian Country Fire Authority (CFA) volunteer has been sentenced to 17 years and nine months in jail for killing 10 people by deliberately lighting a bushfire on Black Saturday. Brendan Sokaluk, 42, was found guilty of 10 counts of arson causing death in the Victorian Supreme Court ...
How many people did Sokaluk kill?
Sokaluk found guilty of killing 10 people by deliberately lighting a bushfire. (AAP: Julian Smith)
What was the temperature in the Latrobe Valley on Black Saturday?
The verdict makes Sokaluk one of Victoria's worst killers. On Black Saturday, the temperature in the Latrobe Valley spiked at 46 degrees Celsius and wind gusts reached 70 kilometres per hour, creating an inferno near the town of Churchill.
Who was the man who lit the Churchill fire?
Brendan Sokaluk, 42 , was found guilty of 10 counts of arson causing death in the Victorian Supreme Court for deliberately lighting the Churchill fire on February 7, 2009. He will serve a non-parole period of 14 years.
Did Sokaluk start the fire?
But Sokaluk strenuously denied deliberately starting the fire.
Overview
Major fires
The Kinglake fire complex was named after two earlier fires, the Kilmore East fire and the Murrindindi Mill fire, merged following the wind change on the evening of 7 February. The complex was the largest of the many fires burning on Black Saturday, ultimately destroying over 330,000 ha (820,000 acres). It was also the most destructive, with over 1,800 houses destroyed and 159 lives lost in the re…
Background
A week before the fires, a significant heatwave affected southeastern Australia. From 28–30 January, Melbourne broke temperature records by experiencing three consecutive days above 43 °C (109 °F), with the temperature peaking at 45.1 °C (113.2 °F) on 30 January, the third hottest day in the city's history.
The wave of heat was caused by a slow moving high-pressure system that settl…
Events of 7 February 2009
A total of 358 firefighting personnel, mainly from the Country Fire Authority (CFA) and Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE), were deployed across the state on Friday evening (6 February) in anticipation of the extreme conditions the following day. By mid-morning Saturday, hot northwesterly winds in excess of 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph) hit the state, accompanied by e…
Chronology
Wednesday, 28 January 2009 Delburn fire commenced in Central Gippsland; arson suspected.
Wednesday, 4 February Bunyip State Park blaze commenced.
Saturday, 7 February (Black Saturday) 05:00 am – Bunyip State Park fire jumped containment lines; no other major fire activity. Late morning – Many fires spra…
Investigations
Investigations began almost immediately following the fires to determine a wide variety of things, including identification of victims, cause of ignition sources, and assessments of authority responses. A Royal Commission into the Black Saturday bushfires was conducted, a process that was intended to determine the true nature of the background causes, preparation of responsible agencies…
Casualties
A total of 173 people were confirmed to have died as a result of the fires. The figure was originally estimated at 14 on the night of 7 February, and steadily increased over the following two weeks to 210. It was feared that it could rise as high as 240–280, but these figures were later revised down to 173 after further forensic examinations of remains, and after several people previously believe…
Overall statistics
It was estimated that the amount of energy released during the firestorm in the Kinglake-Marysville area was equivalent to the amount of energy that would be released by 1,500 Hiroshima-sized atomic bombs.
Beyond the casualty list detailed above, physical damage caused by the bushfires included: