Jump to content

Black Saturday bushfires: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
No edit summary
Line 135: Line 135:
==Casualties==
==Casualties==
[[File:09 Victorian bushfires locator map.png|thumb|400px|right|Map of locations affected by bushfires in Central Victoria and West Gippsland.]]
[[File:09 Victorian bushfires locator map.png|thumb|400px|right|Map of locations affected by bushfires in Central Victoria and West Gippsland.]]
96 people have been confirmed to have been killed by the fires.<ref name="96deaths"/><ref name="UnderSiege" /><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/national/death-toll-rises-from-bushfires-20090208-80jv.html|title=Death toll rises from bushfires|last=Cooper|first=Mex|date=8 February 2009|work=The Age|accessdate=2009-02-08}}</ref><ref name="49fatalities">{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/08/2485538.htm|title=Death toll climbs as killer fires rage|date=8 February 2009|work=ABC News|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|accessdate=2009-02-08}}</ref> Former [[Seven Network]] and [[Nine Network]] personality [[Brian Naylor (broadcaster)|Brian Naylor]] and wife Moiree are confirmed as being amongst the victims in the Kinglake area.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2009/02/08/49411_news.html|title=Bushfire death toll reaches 84 |date=8 February 2009|work=Geelong Advertiser|accessdate=2009-02-08}}</ref>
93 people have been confirmed to have been killed by the fires.<ref name="96deaths"/><ref name="UnderSiege" /><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/national/death-toll-rises-from-bushfires-20090208-80jv.html|title=Death toll rises from bushfires|last=Cooper|first=Mex|date=8 February 2009|work=The Age|accessdate=2009-02-08}}</ref><ref name="49fatalities">{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/08/2485538.htm|title=Death toll climbs as killer fires rage|date=8 February 2009|work=ABC News|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|accessdate=2009-02-08}}</ref> Former [[Seven Network]] and [[Nine Network]] personality [[Brian Naylor (broadcaster)|Brian Naylor]] and wife Moiree are confirmed as being amongst the victims in the Kinglake area.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2009/02/08/49411_news.html|title=Bushfire death toll reaches 84 |date=8 February 2009|work=Geelong Advertiser|accessdate=2009-02-08}}</ref>


===Kinglake complex===
===Kinglake complex===

Revision as of 14:41, 8 February 2009

2009 Victorian bushfires
MODIS Aqua satellite image of the fires in eastern Victoria during the afternoon of the 7th.
Date(s)7–8 February 2009 (ongoing)
LocationVictoria, Australia
Statistics
Land useUrban/Rural Fringe Areas, Farmland, and Forest Reserves/National Parks
Impacts
Deaths96[1][2][3][4]
(confirmed as of 0025AEDT, still being counted)
Non-fatal injuries78+ in hospital[5]

Bushfires across the Australian state of Victoria in February 2009 caused major property damage and resulted in at least 96 deaths, and the destruction of at least 750 homes; 550 of those in Kinglake and surrounding areas. The death toll makes them the deadliest fires in Australia's recorded history.[1][7] The fires occurred during a serious heatwave, beginning on Saturday 7 February, a day when several localities across the state, including the state capital of Melbourne, recorded their highest temperatures since records began over 150 years previously.[8] The bushfires have been described as the worst in Australia, exceeding the Black Friday fires in 1939, and the Ash Wednesday fires in 1983,[9] with the death toll now exceeding the 45 Victorians who died in Ash Wednesday[10] and the 71 Victorians who died in Black Friday.[11] They continued on Sunday 8 February.

Hundreds of buildings are suspected to have been destroyed, particularly in the Kinglake fire complex, north-east of Melbourne and in west Gippsland. 78 people have been admitted to hospitals across Victoria with burns, at least 11 in a critical condition.[12]

The mountain towns of Kinglake and Marysville, to the north east of Melbourne have been badly damaged by fire, with more than 80% of Marysville destroyed.[13][14][3]

Small spot and grass fires were burning across much of the greater Melbourne area, with many outlying suburbs and towns affected. Several train lines were closed including the Belgrave, Gippsland, Seymour and Warrnambool lines, and the main line between Melbourne and Sydney.[15] The Hume and Princes Freeways and numerous other major roads and highways were closed for various periods of time.[16]

Major fires

The major fires include:[12]

North and central

Kinglake fire complex

Smoke over the Yarra Valley and Kinglake area being blown across Melbourne's northeast, on the 7th of February.

The fire complex as a whole extends from Kilmore in the west to Marysville in the east, burning 120,000 hectares (300,000 acres).[17]

  • Kilmore East – pushed through 30 km to the east through the towns of Wandong, Strathewen and Clonbinane to St. Andrews and Kinglake where 200 people have taken refuge in a pub. There have been around 20 confirmed fatalities in this complex and around 700 houses destroyed.[18]
  • Kinglake - 12 people confirmed dead, with another 12 deceased in Kinglake West.[12]
  • Murrindindi – large fires in the Mount Despair State Forest, going through the town of Marysville. Marysville has been devastated, although several residents evacuated at a local park and have been reported as safe.[13][14][3] An eyewitness has reported that 95 per cent of the houses in nearby Narbethong were also destroyed.[19] Other affected localities included Taggerty and Buxton.[20]
  • Yarra Glen – Visitors and residents were stranded in the popular tourist area when fire surrounded the town on three sides.[21]

Beechworth fire

In Beechworth, a fire has burnt over 30,000 hectares and threatens the towns of Yackadandah, Stanley, Bruarong, Dederang, Khancoona, Khancoona South, Coralbank, Glen Creek and Running Creek.[22] The fire started at 7pm on 7 February, 3km south of Beechworth, before being driven south through pine plantations by hot northerly winds.[23]

The fire destroyed an unknown number of buildings at Mudgegonga, south-east of Beechworth.[24] Dense smoke and cloud cover had hindered assesment of the Beechworth fire, but as conditions cleared late on 8 February, aerial crews were anticipating being able to commence surveys of the situation.[25]

Bendigo fire

Fire threatening houses near Dean Street in Long Gully.
  • Bendigo – The Bracewell Street fire on the edge of Bendigo destroyed approximately 20 homes in the suburbs of Maiden Gully, Eaglehawk, Long Gully, West Bendigo, and Ironbark. A relief centre was set up at Kangaroo Flat Senior Citizens Centre.Cite error: The <ref> tag has too many names (see the help page).

Redesdale fire

In Redesdale, there has been 10,000 hectares burnt, with the fire starting 9 kilometres west of the town. The fire is reported as threatening the towns of Baynton and Glenhope.[12]

East

Bunyip fire

Bunyip State Park had houses lost at Longwarry after the fire jumped the Princes Highway.[26]

Dandenong Ranges fire

In Ferntree Gully and Upper Ferntree Gully all major roads were closed. Located within the Dandenong Ranges, fire damaged the rail track around Upper Ferntree Gully, causing the closure of the Ringwood to Belgrave Railway Line.[15]

Narre Warren

In Narre Warren there have been several fires.[27] Six homes were destroyed in Narre Warren South and three in Narre Warren North.[28]

Churchill fire

The Churchill fire complex saw the deaths of at least nine people.[29] There is a potential threat to the Loy Yang Power Station—which produces one third of Victoria's electricity.[12] The fire is threatening coastal towns such as Yarram, Langsbrough and Manns Beach.[26]

West

Horsham fire

The Horsham fire burnt 5,700 hectares, including the golf club and three homes.[18] A fire truck was also destroyed.[30]

The fire was started at 12:30pm on 7 February when strong winds felled a power pole at Remlaw, west of the city,[31] before heading south-west and then south-east, across the Wimmera Highway and Wimmera River to the Horsham Golf Course and then to Haven, south of the city.[32] Firefighters managed to save the general store, town hall and school at Haven, though flames came within metres of those buildings.[33] Winds of up to 90km/h, that changed direction three times throughout the day, produced conditions described by the local CFA incident controller as the worst he had ever seen.[31] To the south-west of Horsham, a taxi driver collected his fare, an 82-year-old wheelchair-bound woman and her daughter, from her house as the fire was no more than 100 metres away; the house was alight as the taxi drove off, and burned down within minutes.[34]

At 3pm more than 400 personnel were engaged in fighting the fire,[32] as well as two water-bombing aircraft, 54 CFA tankers and 35 DSE units.[33] By 6pm the front had moved east, and as the wind changed, was then pushed north-east across the Western Highway to Drung, east of Horsham.[32]

Coleraine fire

Coleraine had 770 hectares burnt, with one man left nursing severe burns. The fire is reported to be under control.[12]

Weerite fire

At Weerite, east of Camperdown, a fire burnt 1,300 hectares, and damaged the rail line between Geelong and Warrnambool.[35] The fire caused unquantified losses of stock, and destroyed several outbuildings, but all houses under threat were saved by CFA firefighters.[36] The fire was thought to have been started by sparking power lines along the Princes Highway, which remained closed as of midday 8 February.[36]

Response

Government

The Premier of Victoria, John Brumby, has advised that he has accepted an offer from Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to provide assistance from the Australian Defence Force. Victoria Police Commissioner Christine Nixon has formed a taskforce to assist in identifying bodies.[37] Prime Minister Rudd described the bushfires as an "appalling tragedy for Victoria", saying "Hell and all its fury has visited the good people of Victoria in the last 24 hours".[38]

Humanitarian effort

Aid agencies are beginning to run appeals to help those affected by the bushfires. The Australian Red Cross has started an appeal.[39] 3,733 people have registered with the Red Cross after evacuating their properties.[40]

Police

Victoria Police have said that arsonists could be charged with murder, a police spokeswoman stating, "They could be charged with manslaughter or they could be charged with murder."[41]

Casualties

File:09 Victorian bushfires locator map.png
Map of locations affected by bushfires in Central Victoria and West Gippsland.

93 people have been confirmed to have been killed by the fires.[1][12][42][43] Former Seven Network and Nine Network personality Brian Naylor and wife Moiree are confirmed as being amongst the victims in the Kinglake area.[44]

Kinglake complex

Churchill

Bendigo

Beechworth


It has also been reported that up to 78 people have been hospitalised suffering from burns.[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Bushfire toll hits 96". News Limited. Geelong Advertiser. 2009-02-09. Retrieved 2009-02-09.
  2. ^ "Bushfires burn Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia". Courier Mail. News.com.au. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
  3. ^ a b c AAP (8th February 2009, 15:40 WST). "Victorian bushfires toll climbs to 65". The West Australian. Retrieved 2009-02-08. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ "Bushfire Deaths - Update 8". Victoria Police. 8 February 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
  5. ^ a b "Death toll in Australia fires reaches 65". AP.org. Yahoo.com. 8 February 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
  6. ^ "Bushfires in Victoria kill 35, fears death toll will rise". Herald Sun. 8 February 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
  7. ^ "Death toll rises from bushfires". Staff Reporters. The Age. 2009-02-08. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
  8. ^ Townsend, Hamish (7 February 2009). "City swelters, records tumble in heat". The Age. Retrieved 2009-02-07.
  9. ^ "Bushfires in Victoria kill 14 more deaths feared". Herald Sun. 7 February 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-07.
  10. ^ "http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/744864/worst-day-in-history-vic-fires-kill-14". Ninemsn. Retrieved 2009-02-08. {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  11. ^ "Bushfire death toll reaches 84". Geelong Advertiser. 8 February 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g "Victoria under siege as fires rage across state". Herald Sun. 7 February 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-07.
  13. ^ a b "Marysville almost destroyed in Victorian bushfires". Sydney Morning Herald. 8 February 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
  14. ^ a b "'Absolute devastation': Victoria gutted by deadly bushfires". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 8 February 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-07.
  15. ^ a b "Gippsland, Seymour & Warrnambool lines ~ Services suspended due to bushfires ~ Sun 8 Feb". V/Line. 2009-02-08. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
  16. ^ "Nine bushfires out of control in Victoria". Brisbane Times. Fairfax Media. 2009-02-07. Retrieved 2009-02-07.
  17. ^ "Bushfires in Victoria kill 35, fears death toll will rise". Herald Sun. 8 February 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
  18. ^ a b "Death toll may reach more than 40: police". The Age. 7 February 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-07.
  19. ^ "Wiped out: Towns destroyed by killer fires". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2009-02-07.
  20. ^ "Yea-Murrundindi map" (PDF). CFA. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
  21. ^ "'We can see flames': people stranded in Yarra Glen". The Age. 8 February 2008. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
  22. ^ ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 8 February 2009 http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/08/2485588.htm. Retrieved 2009-02-08. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  23. ^ "Fast-moving blaze hit with little warning". Herald Sun. 2009-02-09. Retrieved 2009-02-09. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |authors= ignored (help)
  24. ^ "Buildings destroyed near Beechworth". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2009-02-08. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
  25. ^ "Smoke, cloud restrict Beechworth fire info". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2009-02-08. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
  26. ^ a b "Bushfires in Victoria kill 14 more deaths feared". Herald Sun. 8 February 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-07.
  27. ^ "Many may be trapped in homes". Sydney Morning Herald. 8 February 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
  28. ^ "Fire crews mop up after Narre Warren South blaze". Dandenong Leader. 8 February 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
  29. ^ http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/latest/5307094/nine-confirmed-dead-in-gippsland-fires-still-burning/
  30. ^ "Horsham assesses bushfire damage". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2009-02-07.
  31. ^ a b Thom, Greg (2009-02-09). "It's frightening in the firing line". Herald Sun. Retrieved 2009-02-09.
  32. ^ a b c "Horsham fire: The latest report". Wimmera Mail-Times. 2009-02-08. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
  33. ^ a b "Haven school, hall, general store saved". Wimmera Mail-Times. 2009-02-07. Retrieved 2009-02-07.
  34. ^ Flitton, Daniel (2009-02-09). "Molly flees the scene of 61 good years in a cab". The Age. Retrieved 2009-02-09.
  35. ^ "Urgent travel advice - Train disruptions to continue on Sunday due to bush fires". VLine. VLine. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
  36. ^ a b "BREAKING NEWS: Fire races through Pombo". Warrnambool Standard. 2009-02-08. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
  37. ^ Moncrieff, Mark (8 February 2009). "Emotional Premier gives fire warning". The Age. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
  38. ^ "Hell's fury unleashed on Victoria: Rudd". Ninemsn. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
  39. ^ "Victorian bushfires 2009 - Appeal". Australian Red Cross. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
  40. ^ "Bushfires in Victoria kill 66, death toll will rise". Herald Sun. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
  41. ^ "Police say arsonists charged over Victoria's bushfires, could face murder charges". News.com.au. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
  42. ^ Cooper, Mex (8 February 2009). "Death toll rises from bushfires". The Age. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
  43. ^ "Death toll climbs as killer fires rage". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 8 February 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
  44. ^ "Bushfire death toll reaches 84". Geelong Advertiser. 8 February 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
Wikinews has related news:
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Black_Saturday_bushfires&oldid=269331473"