Victoria Bushfire 2009

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Satellite image at the start of the bushfires, February 7, 2009
Smoke moves from Victoria (top left) to New Zealand's South Island, February 8, 2009

The Victoria bushfires in February 2009 are considered to be the largest fire disaster in Australia . There were 173 confirmed fatalities. More than 1,800 houses in the greater Melbourne , Victoria area were destroyed, leaving many thousands homeless. An area of ​​430,000 hectares was destroyed; this corresponds to an area larger than the Saarland (256,800 hectares). In total, more than 60 individual bushfires were counted. In Australia itself, the bushfires are known as Black Saturday bushfires .

The small town of Kinglake was completely destroyed in the fires, and 80 percent of the city of Marysville also fell victim to the fire.

background

root cause

The most likely causes are lightning and arson ; the heat wave in Victoria in January / February 2009 with strong winds encouraged the fire to spread. The big fires began on February 7, 2009, the day of the greatest heat since weather records began 150 years ago, with temperatures of up to 48 degrees Celsius. Later police investigations reinforced suspicions that even after the initial fires began, more fires were deliberately started, particularly in Marysville.

Heatwave

Minimum and maximum temperature values ​​for Melbourne during the heat wave

From the end of January 2009 on, southeast Australia was affected by a heat wave. This was related to a high pressure area over the Tasman Sea and the combination of a strong tropical cyclone system off the coast of Northwest Australia and the monsoon trough over northern Australia - all of these factors created ideal conditions for hot air to reach southeast Australia.

On February 7th - the start of the bushfires - various places, including the capital Melbourne, recorded the highest temperature readings since weather records began in 1859.

Climate change

According to the Australian Climate Council, Victoria is the state in Australia most severely affected by bushfires: Due to climate change , the risk and duration of bush fires are increasing there. It is assumed that the number of days affected by extreme fire risk in Victoria will continue to increase in the future. The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is seen as crucial for further development. The overheating of the earth's climate system thus represents the frame of reference for the statistical accumulation of extreme heat waves in recent times, such as those in summer 2018/2019 , and bush fires such as those described here in summer 2008/2009.

course

Bush fires in Gippsland

Several bush fires broke out in the Gippsland region of Victoria in late January . On the night of January 28th, fire departments fought a small bushfire near Delburn that burned 30 acres of land, and on the afternoon of January 29th, two more fires in the same area. On the same day, the fire department also brought under control two smaller grass fires near Sale that are believed to have been started. Late in the evening of January 29, the two fires united in Delburn. More than 1,000 acres of land burned in this area south of Morwell , but no damage to home properties has been reported.

On the evening of 31 January, the firefighters concentrated on the north side of the fire which there is a high-voltage line from Melbourne to the Latrobe Valley approached; the fire also threatened Hazelwood Power Station . On the night of February 1, a cooler air current improved conditions, but also led to stronger winds, which in turn contributed to the spread of the bushfires by flying sparks.

The fire at Boolarra was contained on February 1, but was not yet under control. More than 6,500 hectares of land and 29 houses were burned in the fire, as well as numerous outbuildings, and cattle were also killed. On February 3, the fire was contained in five of the six sectors into which the authorities had divided the fire. At Mirboo North , the fire was not yet contained.

Twenty-three new bush fires started on February 2, mostly as a result of lightning strikes , including in Bunyip State Park , at Drouin West and at Leongatha . However, higher humidity made efforts to contain these fires easier.

The police suspected that the bushfires of Delburn and Boolarra were placed and offered a reward of 100,000 Australian dollars for evidence from which lead to the arrest of arsonists.

Fire on February 8th at 9:00 a.m. local time

Large fire from February 7th

Initially, many smaller fires were registered, some of which, due to the heat and wind conditions, quickly combined to form several large fires, which in turn spread explosively.

Five days after the start of the bushfires, 21 individual fires were uncontrolled, and on the following day even 31. In addition, Melbourne's water supply was in danger, as the typical water-collecting areas east of Melbourne were threatened by fires.

Kinglake Fire Complex

The Kinglake Fire Complex was the result of two previous fires at Kilmore and Murrindindi that merged on February 7th and 8th after the wind changed direction. The fire burned more than 210,000 hectares of land and at least 147 people were killed here.

The fire started near Kilmore East on the afternoon of February 7th and was driven by winds over 30 kilometers in a southeasterly direction via Wandong and Clonbinane to Kinglake. 150 houses were destroyed and fourteen people were killed in Wandong. The fire necessitated the closure of the Seymour Line railway line and the partial closure of the Hume Highway . The cooling forecast by the Bureau of Meteorology for February 7th became noticeable in the evening around 7:30 p.m. local time and caused the wind direction to change. The now southwest winds changed the direction of the fire towards Kinglake.

In the late evening of February 7th, a roller of fire pulled through Kinglake and the surrounding area and largely destroyed the place.

The town of Marysville on the eastern edge of the fire was also almost completely destroyed. In the afternoon, residents had believed the fire would spare Marysville, but the change in wind direction meant that the city was surrounded by the fire within minutes. One policeman described the destruction with the words, “The motel at one end [of the place] is partially still standing. The bakery survived. I don't know how. Everything else is simply pulverized. ”Later reports dated February 11th indicated that around 100 of the city's 500 residents were killed in the fire and that only a dozen or so buildings remained.

The nearby town of Narbethong was almost completely destroyed by the same fire, Taggerty and Buxton were also affected by this fire .

The investigators believe that this fire set was.

Maroondah / Yarra fire complex

Maroondah / Yarra fire east of Yarra Glen on February 10th.

The fire complex of Maroondah / Yarra was named on February 10th; this means the combination of several fires that had combined east of Healesville and Toolangi . On the morning of February 10, this fire had destroyed more than 505 hectares of land, 184 firefighters and 56 tankers were used to contain the fire. The threat to local residents decreased during the day, but on February 13th, Healesville was still threatened by the bushfire.

Bushfire at Beechworth

Smoke from the fire in Kilmore is carried over northeast Melbourne. The picture was taken before the wind changed on February 7th.

At Beechworth , over 30,000 hectares of land were burned. The fire threatened the towns of Yackandandah , Stanley , Bruarong , Dederang , Kancoona , Kancoona South , Coralbank , Glen Creek and Running Creek. The fire started on February 7 about 2 miles south of Beechworth before being blown through the pine trees by the hot northerly wind .

In Mudgegonga, southeast of Beechworth, numerous houses were destroyed; at least two people were killed here. Thick smoke and clouds initially prevented the use of airplanes for fire fighting.

Smoke and clouds mixed over Warrandyte , looking northeast over the Yarra River towards the Kinglake Fire Complex. Photo taken on February 8th.

On the night of February 8th, the fire was kindled by a strong wind and a new fire started around noon on February 9th near Kergunyah due to lightning . More than 400 firefighters sought to contain a separate fire front that threatened Gundowring, and Eskdale in particular , after skipping the Kiewa River . On the night of February 9, there was also a fire 8 km north of Myrtleford at the opposite, western end of this fire area. Although smaller towns such as Gundowring and Kergunyah were still threatened by the fire, the authorities saw no imminent threat to the towns of Beechworth and Yackandandah on the northern edge of the fire.

On February 10, the firefighters had completed a 115 km containment line around the fire and were in the process of establishing another 15 km. In the afternoon the threat situation in this area had improved, although the fire brigade fought a separate fire at Koetong to the east of the Beechworth fire, the extent of which was 50-80 hectares. The residents in the area around the Beechworth fire were warned of increased smoke development on the evening of February 10, as the fire brigade set up counterfire to take the fuel from the fire within the control lines.

Victims and damage

Some of the victims died while trying to escape in their vehicles because they were caught by a roller of fire or because they hit trees and other vehicles and remained lying due to heavy smoke. Escape on foot was not possible due to the speed of the fire.

Many residents burned to death in their houses because they did not want to leave them or could no longer do so. Official recommendations in Australia speak of attempts to defend houses from the flames, which in this case was not possible.

More than 1,800 houses were destroyed and thousands of residents were left homeless. An area of ​​430,000 hectares was destroyed.

When fighting the fire, Victoria has called on the help of the Australian Defense Forces and international assistance, so 100 firefighters from New Zealand were on the job.

Koala female Sam

On February 10, 2009, the rescue of the female koala, Sam, caused a worldwide sensation. Fireman Dave Tree discovered her in a burned eucalyptus forest and filmed the rescue. The video was posted on Youtube and has been viewed over 1.16 million times to date. Sam became the symbol of the bush fires. On August 6, 2009, she had to be euthanized because of multiple cysts on her abdomen.

Reactions

According to police statements, the arsonists could be charged with manslaughter or even murder . Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd described the arsonists as mass murderers . An eyewitness described Marysville, which was practically completely destroyed, as "today's Dresden ".

Planned building codes in Australia require houses to withstand temperatures of up to 1000 Kelvin (723 degrees Celsius). However, the maximum temperature in such fires is up to 1600 Kelvin (1327 degrees Celsius), which is why a correction of the regulations was discussed during the fire disaster.

Debate on environmental policy

During the fires, a fierce debate broke out in Australia about the extent to which green environmental policy contributed to the disaster. For example, Miranda Devine, a columnist for the prestigious Sydney Morning Herald, wrote in an article entitled “Green ideas are to blame for the dead” that it is not so much the arsonists that should be hung from the street lights, but the greens. It is further described that, particularly in the Kinglake area, which has been completely destroyed, local green policies have successfully prevented residents from cutting trees around their houses, clearing the forests of dry deadwood and undergrowth, or every five to four in the cooler winter months To burn down forests for seven years in order to prevent forest fires in hot summers, although this was a fire protection measure in which not the trees burn down, but only the undergrowth, elsewhere and previously was good practice.

Elsewhere, too, it was pointed out that Aborigines had deliberately set fires as a measure against extensive bushfires for 60,000 years, and in the same place the authorities who did not allow this were referred to as the actual arsonists.

Web links

 Wikinews: At least 181 dead from forest fires in Australia  - News
Commons : Bushfire in Victoria 2009  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c The Fires and the Fire-related Deaths. In: 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission. July 31, 2009, accessed October 12, 2010 .
  2. ↑ a b Bushfire death toll revised down . In: News.com.au , March 30, 2009. Retrieved November 10, 2009. 
  3. ↑ a b c More than 1800 homes lost in fires as bushfire threat continues (English) . In: Sydney Morning Herald , February 13, 2009. Retrieved February 13, 2009. 
  4. ↑ a b c Harrowing images as bushfire toll stands at 135 (English) . In: NZ Herald , February 10, 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2009. 
  5. ↑ Marysville almost destroyed in Victorian bushfires (English) . In: Sydney Morning Herald , February 8, 2009. Retrieved February 8, 2009. 
  6. ↑ 'Absolute devastation': Victoria gutted by deadly bushfires (English) . In: ABC News , Australian Broadcasting Corporation, February 8, 2009. Retrieved February 7, 2009. 
  7. ↑ a b Hamish Townsend: City swelters, records tumble in heat (English) . In: The Age , February 7, 2009. 
  8. ↑ a b c d e f Arson suspects arrested ( English ) Sydney Morning Herald. February 12, 2009. Retrieved February 12, 2009.
  9. ↑ The exceptional January-February 2009 heatwave in south-eastern Australia ( English , PDF; 564 kB) In: Bureau of Meteorology . National Climate Center. February 12, 2009. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
  10. ^ Climate Change and the Victorian Bushfire Threat. Climate Council, January 18, 2017, accessed February 6, 2019 (Australian English).
  11. ↑ Lanigan, Roslyn & Woods, Kim: Gippsland faces third fire (English) , Weekly Times. January 29, 2009. Retrieved February 11, 2009. 
  12. ↑ Gippsland Temperatures Rising (English) , Australian Broadcasting Corporation. January 29, 2009. Retrieved February 11, 2009. 
  13. ↑ Langmaid, Aaron & Ribbon, Alison: CFA and DSE battle blazes in east and west of state (English) , Herald Sun. January 30, 2009. Retrieved February 11, 2009. 
  14. ↑ Firefighters battle to protect Melbourne's major electricity transmission line (English) , Herald Sun. January 31, 2009. Retrieved February 11, 2009. 
  15. ^ Gippsland fires rage despite cool change (English) , Australian Broadcasting Corporation. January 31, 2009. Retrieved February 11, 2009. 
  16. ^ Gippsland fire now within containment lines (English) , The Australian. February 1, 2009. Archived from the original on February 5, 2009 Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . Retrieved February 11, 2009. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.theaustralian.news.com.au 
  17. ↑ Search on for Suspected arsonist in Vic bushfires (English) , Australian Broadcasting Corporation. February 1, 2009. Retrieved February 11, 2009. 
  18. ↑ a b Fire crews search for Boolarra hotspots (English) , Australian Broadcasting Corporation. February 3, 2009. Retrieved February 11, 2009. 
  19. ↑ Lightning Further complicates Vic fire threat (English) , Australian Broadcasting Corporation. February 2, 2009. Retrieved February 11, 2009. 
  20. ^ Reports of major casualties at Kinglake (English) , Geelong Advertiser. February 8, 2009. Retrieved February 12, 2009. 
  21. ↑ At a glance: where bushfires are burning (English) , Australian Broadcasting Corporation. February 8, 2009. Retrieved February 12, 2009. 
  22. ↑ Death toll may reach more than 40: police . In: The Age , February 7, 2009. 
  23. ^ A b Houston, Cameron & Bachelard, Michael: Huge Wandong blaze kills 14 people, rips through homes (English) , The Age. February 8, 2009. Retrieved February 12, 2009. 
  24. ^ Kilmore fires cause grave concern (English) , Geelong Advertiser. February 8, 2009. Retrieved February 12, 2009. 
  25. ↑ Grieving Victoria takes stock as toll nears 100 (English) , Australian Broadcasting Corporation. February 9, 2009. Retrieved February 12, 2009. 
  26. ↑ a b c Jane Cowan: Wiped out: Town destroyed by killer fires (English) , Australian Broadcasting Corporation. February 8, 2009. Retrieved February 12, 2009. 
  27. ^ Julie-Anne Davies: Razed township fears for missing (English) , The Australian. February 9, 2009. Archived from the original on February 11, 2009 Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . Retrieved February 12, 2009. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.theaustralian.news.com.au 
  28. ↑ Gabriella Coslovich: Sickening wait for proof of life, or death (English) , The Age. February 9, 2009. Retrieved February 12, 2009. “ The motel at one end of it partially exists. The bakery has survived. Don't ask me how. Everything else is just nuked. " 
  29. ↑ Bushfires toll at 181. Marysville toll may be one in five (English) , Herald Sun . February 11, 2009. 
  30. ↑ Yea Murrundindi map . CFA. Archived from the original on March 19, 2009. Retrieved February 8, 2009.
  31. ^ Arsonists my have lit Marysville fire - Nixon (English) , The Age. February 12, 2009. 
  32. ↑ Britt Smith: Fires threaten Yarra Valley (English) , The Age. February 10, 2009. Retrieved February 20, 2009. 
  33. ^ Robyn Grace: Healesville fire threat downgraded (English) , The Age. February 10, 2009. Retrieved February 20, 2009. 
  34. ↑ Smoke, cloud restrict Beechworth fire info (English) . In: ABC News , Australian Broadcasting Corporation, February 8, 2009. Retrieved February 20, 2009. 
  35. ↑ McNaught, Megan & Pilcher, Georgie: Fast-moving blaze hit with little warning (English) , Herald Sun. February 9, 2009. 
  36. ↑ Buildings destroyed near Beechworth (English) , Australian Broadcasting Corporation. February 8, 2009. Retrieved February 20, 2009. 
  37. ^ Smoke, cloud restrict Beechworth fire info (English) , Australian Broadcasting Corporation. February 8, 2009. Retrieved February 20, 2009. 
  38. ^ A b Georgie Pilcher: Fresh fire jumps river and threatens towns (English) , Herald Sun. February 10, 2009. Retrieved February 20, 2009. 
  39. ↑ Hannan, Ewin & Wallace, Rick: Inquiry ordered into Victoria bushfires, hunt for arsonists begins (English) , The Australian. February 10, 2009. Retrieved February 20, 2009. 
  40. ↑ Prisoners help fight Beechworth blaze , Canberra Times. February 10, 2009. Archived from the original on February 15, 2009. Retrieved in 200…. 
  41. ↑ North-east residents urged to remain on fire alert (English) , Australian Broadcasting Corporation. February 10, 2009. Retrieved February 20, 2009. 
  42. ↑ Smoke Increases with Beechworth back burning (English) , Border Mail. February 10, 2009. Retrieved February 20, 2009. 
  43. ↑ Koala rescued from bush fire in Australia perished ( memento of the original from August 27, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung of August 7, 2009 (accessed on August 7, 2009)  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.hannover-zeitung.net
  44. ↑ Police say arsonists charged over Victoria's bushfires, could face murder charges ( English ) News.com.au. Archived from the original on March 18, 2009. Retrieved February 8, 2009.
  45. ↑ Building code underestimates heat of fires ( English ) Sydney Morning Herald. February 12, 2009. Retrieved February 12, 2009.
  46. ↑ Green ideas must take blame for deaths ( English ) Sydney Morning Herald. February 12, 2009. Retrieved February 12, 2009.
  47. ↑ Australian authorities 'arsonists': Germaine Greer ( English ) Sydney Morning Herald. February 13, 2009. Retrieved February 13, 2009.