Bushfire season threatens the entirety of Australia. It is an overly destructive phenomenon that can be difficult to contain once the fire has begun.
Although it’s devastating, bushfires are intrinsic parts of the country’s environment. Historical and recent fires shaped and helped the natural ecosystems evolve.
While naturally occurring bushfires are inevitable, studies show that mitigating their potential impacts can lessen the consequences and casualties.
Let us look further into this matter and identify some important Australian bushfire statistics.
Bushfire Seasons Throughout the Year
While bushfires can occur at any time of the year, the peak bushfire period in Australia is during the dry season. However, it can vary across the country depending on the seasonal weather patterns.
In southern Australia, bushfire season peaks during autumn and summer or between December to May.
For northern Australia, bushfires peak in winter and spring or during the dry season between May and October. Lastly, the central region’s bushfire season runs from August to March.
The most fire-prone areas worldwide are southern New South Wales, Victoria, and Southeastern Australia. Weather conditions significantly influence the intensity, speed, size and predictability of bushfires and the extent of the danger they can bring to the community.
Most Catastrophic Bushfires in Australia
Major Australian bushfires occurred between 1967 and 2013, resulting in over 8000 injuries and 433 deaths. The fatality was about 50 per cent of all deaths from significant Australian natural disasters during that period.
Over 19 million hectares burned during one of Australia’s most catastrophic “Black Summer” bushfire peak seasons from 2019 to 2020. The fire destroyed many forests and bushlands, killing more than 1.25 billion animals.
New South Wales was the most affected region, with many burned areas being forest and conservation land.
According to some sources, at least 80% of the Blue Mountains and 53% of the Gondwana world heritage spots were destroyed and burned. As a result, billions of animals lost their habitats and lives.
Moreover, many Australians were affected by the bushfires, and at least 30 people died during such a catastrophe.
Households and commercial buildings were partially damaged or destroyed, pushing early insurance claims to a whopping value of 1.9 billion Australian dollars in February 2020.
Bushfire in the country has worsened over the years with increasing drought areas pressure on forest recovery and resilience. A confirmed climate change-driven trend has been a tool in igniting more intense bushfires.
Forest experts and managers reevaluate traditional tree recovery approaches with probable threats of future wildfires like the 2019-20 “Black Summer”. Some even wonder if restoring forests is viable.
Mitigating Bushfires in Australia
Research professionals actively assess various interventions and approaches to produce trees and plants with fire-resilient trees. However, such initiatives have a long way to go.
Today, the local government has tried various ways to prevent bushfires and minimise the dangers. The bushfire management and national environment law aim to offer guidance during emergency wildfires.
In the case of bushfires, suppression and containment activities are a must to protect life and property. Firefighting is an emergency action taken to stop or suppress bushfires.
During the 2019-20 bushfire season, thousands of firefighters battled the blazes to mitigate such devastating incidents. Most have put off the fires in the worst-hit areas of Victoria and New South Wales (NSW).
On the other hand, preventive actions are essential in reducing the severity of bushfires before they even happen. Fire prevention includes tree management activities, tree trimming and removal.
If you have trees on your property or your home is close to vegetation, undertake tree management activities to keep your place safe from bushfires. When things get too tough, you can always get help from a professional tree arborist.
Conclusion
Bushfires are devastating incidents that can result in loss of life, property damage, environmental destruction and economic losses.
Knowing some compelling bushfire statistics helps us understand which approach to take in order to lessen the potential impacts of fires.
Don’t let your home or commercial property suffer from destructive bushfires. Make sure you do your part in preventing bushfires.
If you need professional assistance, you can get in touch with Trees Down Under at any time of day. We can help you deal with all tree-related concerns!
