Article Tools

An insight into the fire storms now ravaging Australia.

Intro

From Friday, 7th of February to Monday, 9th of February Southern Victoria was ravaged by firestorms beyond the imagination.

Background

  • Temperatures the preceding week were in the forty degree Celsius range for a week since early February
  • Hot dry wind carrying no humidity sprung up toward the Weekend
  • Conditions for fire were optimal

Causes

  • The week long heat wave from South Australia to Victoria
  • Total fire ban that could have been flouted
  • Lightning hitting dry scrub

Twin Cities

  • Adelaide and Melbourne, two southern Australian cities are located in the region
  • The surrounding towns in this conurbation are ensconced in eucalyptus brush – an oily tree
  • Many have migrated there in recent times, to pursue an ideal lifestyle, away from these urban melees

Historic fires in the regions

  • Ash Wednesday of 1983 caused extensive damage
  • In 1939 serious heatwaves caused similar fires
  • Last summer experienced week-long 40 degree days for the first time

Speculation climate change plays a big part

  • The South of Australia is now hotter - drier
  • The North West, near Broome, is now wetter
  • The North, near Cairns, is experiencing stronger Cyclones ( Southern Hemisphere Hurricanes )

In a nutshell…

  • Unusually heated conditions and strong dry winds caused these fires, now ravaging Eastern Victoria
  • Usually pretty towns reduced to smoldering ruins
  • Picturesque towns nestled in glady Eucalyptus forests – trees waiting to burn
  • Places of retirement; places of entombment

What happened

  • Hot winds blew fires to the East and North East in changing patterns
  • Fires travelling at 100 miles an hour, from all directions, leave residents unawares
  • There was nowhere for people to flee and no warning
  • Panic ensued, as the fast moving fire storms consumed everything in their path

There was nowhere to run, nowhere to drive and warnings, when given, were after the fact.  Imagine yourself in the epicentre of Hiroshima and you get the picture.

  • To date 185 confirmed dead some burnt beyond identification