The Australian Bushfire Story The Victorian 2009 Black Saturday Bushfires. ‘Bushfire takes away your control’ by Craig Lapsley
Victoria State is one of the most Bushfire Prone Area’s in the world. Victorian summers have: •extreme temperatures, •low relative humidity, •strong, hot and dry winds. On ‘Bad’ fire days: •winds will change direction from North West to South West, •fires grow significantly in size after the wind change. •Significant death and destruction occurs after the SW wind change.
History of death in bushfires Bushfire fatalities 825 bushfire fatalities over 110 years across Australia. • Victoria State has the highest with 506. • The majority of the 506 in Victoria occurred on 8 days. • The highest death rate occurred on 7 February 2009 (173) Locations of death in Bushfires The closer your home is t o the bush, the more at risk you are. • 50% of deaths happened within 30 feet (10 metres) of the bush.
Climate and weather 7th February 2009 Australia had experienced a 10+ year drought. Victoria experienced: •a very hotter summer. •a heatwave that killed 374. •bushfires killed 173. It was a very intense period. Weather conditions on Saturday 7th February 2009 • Temperature - 118 degrees F (48 C) • Relative Humidity - 2% • Wind Speed - 88 mph (142 kmph)
Saturday 7th February 2009 - Black Saturday 400+ bushfires reported 15 major bushfires: • caused by deliberate & electrical power lines. Fire behaviour was: • unpredictable, • erratic, • extremely fast moving, • all consuming, • embers spotting 20 miles, • wind change late in the afternoon / evening. Totally uncontrollable fires burnt farmland, bushland, forests, buildings and infrastructure. Towns and houses burnt Towns burnt with buildings burning and House to house ignition occurred from igniting the neighbouring buildings. ember attack, from gas cylinders venting and wooden fences burning.
‘The Impact’ 173 people died, 400+ physical injuries, 2059 homes destroyed, 78 towns impacted, 5000+ people displaced/homeless. …we lost so much, some lost everything…. •90 community buildings destroyed •Hundreds of vehicles destroyed •2700 agricultural structures burnt •Animals - 1m animals killed, •Livestock- 12,758 killed, •Farm land- 1.2m acres burnt, •Plantations- 28,000 acres burnt, •Fencing- 7,500 miles destroyed.
‘The Consequence’ Death and injury - young, old, individuals and families died or injured. Destruction - everything burnt - homes and complete towns gone. Displacement - nowhere to live, many requiring temporary housing. Dispersal - community members spread all over Victoria and beyond. Move from victims to survivors….. Survivors had to deal with: • grieving and funerals, People are different and • personal and family trauma, have different needs: • mental, medical and physical health. • Children Loss of: • Youth • Identity and personal papers, • Women • Belongings - sentimental and material, • Men • Place of belonging - home, community. • Individuals Issues to deal with: • Families • Community become welfare dependent, • Neighbourhood • Connecting to family and friends, • Community • School disruption, • Employment disruption, • Economic instability.
The Victorian Government established a Royal Commission to review all aspects of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires. The key themes: •Victoria’s Bushfire Safety Policy, •Emergency and Incident Management, •Fireground Response, •Electricity - caused fire, •Deliberately lit fires, The key themes supported by 67 recommendations. •Planning and Building, •Land and Fuel management, •Organisational structure, •Research and Evaluation, •Monitoring Implemenetaion, •Reflections.
What went wrong ??? !!! The Royal Commission observed: • systematic failure, • a lack of standards, • first responder agencies working alone, • traditional methods failure, • a lack of real time information, • a lack of key decision making, • communications processes & systems ineffective, • communities unable to act effectively. The Royal Commission … said…. “SOME THINGS NEED TO BE DONE DIFFERENTLY AND FOR OTHER PROBLEMS, WE NEED TO FIND COMPLETELY NEW WAYS OF WORKING” - 2009 VICTORIAN BUSHFIRES ROYAL COMMISSION … things had to change … and they did …
What changed? New: • Commissioner role established and appointed, • Legislation, • Bushfire Safety Policy, • State Emergency Management Strategic Priorities, • Operational arrangements focused on interoperability, • Fuel Management targets, • Fire Danger Rating system, • Information and Warnings system, • Land Use Planning guidelines, • Building standards and guidelines, • Deliberate and arson programs, • Electric line clearance, maintenance and auto management systems established, • Systems to support evidence based decision making, • Approach to connect with community. .. we work as one ….. established that defines ‘WE’ as everyone.
BUSHFIRE SAFETY POLICY Comprehensive policy with 5 policy themes. Awareness and Education Community capability building State wide bushfire campaign Community FireGuard groups Household bushfire assessments Fire Learning Networks Local community education Community Grants program Programs to vulnerable people Community Fire Drills Bushfire Safety options Local Community Fire Planning Leave early Community plans Community Fire Refuges Bushfire simulation Private shelters Support vulnerable people Neighbourhood Safer Places Relocation and Evacuation planning Evacuation Fire Danger Information & Warnings National Alert System Technology Community Alert sirens
New National Fire Danger Rating System New Australia wide national system that converts Fire Danger Index to a Community focused Fire Danger Rating (FDR). It replaced a decades old system that the highest category was replaced with Severe, Extreme & Code Red providing clarity of risk.
Fire Danger Rating System: Six Rating levels • key to personal decision making. Rating description • Fire weather / behaviour • Home siting / construction • Personal capability Land Controls • Fuel reduction • Land use planning • Building controls • Community education • Personal fire plans
Bushfire Risk Reducing the risk of bushfires comprises a number of processes and tasks includes: • Building materials & construction type, • Managing site vegetation, • Creating defendable space, • Managing the property - house keeping, Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) (increase protection of homes from bushfire) Bushfire spread factors: • Ember attack • Radiant heat • Direct Flame contact Other factors: • Proximity of your home to vegetation • Construction type • Radiant heat performance • Proximity of outbuildings • Slope of the land • Vegetation type • Fire shielding BAL science is based on heat flux exposure thresholds Victorian Building Authority
Water Supply - fire fighting on private property All new developments must incorporate a dedicated static water supply for fire fighting purposes for: • Personal fire fighting, and/or • Fire Authority. And be: • minimum 4,000 gallons (10,000 litres) for fire fighting, • accessible to fire authority, • clearly marked, • Fire Authority approved fittings.
New Strategic Intent - before, during & after, at all levels State Emergency Management Strategic Priorities Protection and preservation of life is paramount – (Primacy of Life). o Issuing Community information and warnings to assist community o members to make decisions about their safety. Protection of critical infrastructure and community assets. o Protection of residential property. o Protection of assets supporting individual livelihoods and economic o production. Protection of environmental and conservation assets that considers o the cultural, biodiversity and social values of the environment. Reset the strategic priorities to assist reshape planning, preparedness, readiness, response, relief, recovery and decision making at every level.
INFORMATION and DECISION MAKING - Is the key to success! Emergency Management Victoria Information must be timely, tailored and relevant to assist decision making. …. bushfire safety is a shared responsibility, shared obligation ….
National Warnings and Emergency Information system • Built for bushfire, evolved to all emergencies. • Relies on local knowledge and local awareness. Emergency Management Victoria Public must have more than 1 source of accessing information.
A new focus - Community Connection The 6C’s Command Control A move from response focus and the traditional 3C’s. Communication Coordination Consequence Achieved through Community To a broader more Emergency Management inclusive approach. Teams at Local, Region and State levels. Rebuild and provide a broader more inclusive approach planning, preparedness, readiness, response, relief, recovery and improve communications and community centre of the decision making.
Recommend
More recommend
