Page 185 - Super Earth Encyclopedia

FIRESTORM

BLACK SATURDAY

BUSHFIRES

Every year, wildfires sweep through dry woodlands.
These are a natural part of the ecology, but some can
become raging infernos. On Saturday, February 7, 2009,
very hot, dry, windy conditions in the Australian state of
Victoria sparked a series of huge fires that burned out
of control for days. In one area near Melbourne, the
intense heat created powerful updrafts that sucked in
more air, fueling deadly firestorms. They reduced whole
towns to ashes. Thousands of homes were destroyed,
and many people died in the flames.

AT A GLANCE

• LOCATION Victoria, southeastern
Australia
• SEASON High summer
• CAUSE Record heat and very low
humidity, plus strong winds
• NUMBER OF FIRES At least 400

STATS AND FACTS

FIREFIGHTING DESTRUCTION
Wildfires occur About 5,000 More than
all over the world, firefighters 2,000 houses
but the Black tackled the were destroyed
Saturday bushfires deadly fire. by the flames.
were particularly
destructive—about
1,740 sq miles DEADLY HEAT In places, the heat was enough to
(4,500 sq km) of kill anyone within 980 ft (300 m).
landscape was burned.
m 100 200 300 400
LEFT HOMELESS ft 300 600 900 1,200 DISASTER ZONES

7,562
PEOPLE
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