Black Saturday Bushfires
The Black Saturday bushfires was a tragic series of bushfires that burnt across the Australian state of Victoria on February 7th 2009.
On February 7th, 2009, the Australian state of Victoria experienced as many as 400 individual bushfires. These wildfires scorched more than 4,500 square kilometers (1,737 square miles) of land, destroyed 2,029 homes, and killed 173 people, more than a million wild and domesticated animals were lost as well. Recovery cost more than a billion dollars. The so-called “Black Saturday Bushfires” are often called the worst natural disaster in Australia’s history.
Bushfires are a common threat in Australia’s arid summer climate. Victoria had been enduring an unusual heat wave, with temperatures as high as 46 degrees Celsius (115.5 degrees Fahrenheit) and almost no rain. In addition, winds were recorded at more than 100 kilometers per hour (62 miles per hour). The government imposed a total fire ban across the state.
Most of the bushfires were the result of arson, collapsed power lines, and natural events such as lightning strikes. The fires were not fully contained or extinguished until the 14th of March.
Before the fires started everyone was told to brace for the worst day in the states history.
On the morning of the 7th of February northwesterly winds in excess of 100 kilometres per hour scoured the state, bringing hot, dry air from Central Australia. The storm helped create almost perfect fire conditions and when the winds brought down powerlines around 11.30am in the Kinglake/Whittlesea area, the resulting sparks ignited the Kilmore East fire.
As the day progressed, the size and intensity of the fire increased. In the evening a cool change from the south-west lowered temperatures but raised wind speeds again to more than 100 kilometres per hour. Spot fires, ignited by embers blown ahead of the main blaze, were reported up to 35 kilometres from the fire front.
Other fires began across the state in Horsham, Beechworth, Bendigo and Marysville. By evening almost 400 individual fires were burning and Victoria Police had announced the first fatalities.
The following day, the 8th of February, the Kilmore East fire and the Murrindindi Mill fire around Marysville merged to create the massive Kinglake fire complex. Hot, dry conditions continued and despite the concerted efforts of more than 19,000 Country Fire Authority members, the fires continued to blaze. It would take weeks before weather changes, reduction of fuel loads and human intervention extinguished the fires.
The impact of the bushfires was so overwhelming that Premier Brumby announced a royal commission into the fires on the 13th of February 2009, even before the full extent of the disaster was known.
Class action lawsuits initiated in the Supreme Court of Victoria against electricity distribution company SP Ausnet eventually led to a $494 million settlement in relation to the Kinglake fire and a $300 million out-of-court settlement in relation to the Marysville fire. At the time these sums were the largest class action settlements in Australian history.
Victoria Police investigated the cause of the fires and charged one man with arson in connection with the Churchill fires near Morwell. They also charged two youths with arson in connection with the Bendigo blaze. However, Supreme Court Justice Paul Coghlan found the two youths were unfit to stand trial because of their intellectual disabilities.
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Hurricane Sandy 2012
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