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2.1.3 - Scientific Understandings of Outdoor Environments - Part 3 Student

Fire is the 4th biggest cause of natural disaster deaths in Australia. Bushfires commonly occur where drought-tolerant vegetation like eucalypts dominate due to Australia's dry climate. Key factors that influence bushfire include wind, weather, topography, fuel type and condition. Fires can have varying effects on environments and people depending on the situation.

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Matthew Pringle
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102 views9 pages

2.1.3 - Scientific Understandings of Outdoor Environments - Part 3 Student

Fire is the 4th biggest cause of natural disaster deaths in Australia. Bushfires commonly occur where drought-tolerant vegetation like eucalypts dominate due to Australia's dry climate. Key factors that influence bushfire include wind, weather, topography, fuel type and condition. Fires can have varying effects on environments and people depending on the situation.

Uploaded by

Matthew Pringle
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Fire

2.1.3- Scientific understandings of outdoor environments


Part 3: The effect fire has on the environment
Before we begin… Here a list of natural disasters that have occurred in
Australia in the last 200 years. Rank them in order of
 Tornado greatest loss of life (1–12).
 Flood
 Wind storm
 Earthquake
 Rain storm
 Bushfire
 Landslide
 Heat wave
 Lightning
 Hail storm
 Tropical cyclone
Bushfire…
Fire has been the 4th biggest cause of death from a
natural disaster in Australia's recent history (since
European arrival)
When you think of fire in the Australian environment,
what are the first ideas and images that come into your
mind? List them.
Fire in Australia…
Where do bushfires occur in Australia?
Mark them on this outline map.
Explain why you have selected those places.
What causes bushfires?
Fire requires three key ingredients:
• The heat source can be naturally occurring or Heat
provided by humans source

fire
Oxygen Fuel
Fire affecters…
The size and intensity of a fire can be affected by:
Wind- affects a fire by increasing the amount of oxygen available, and
affecting the rate of burning.
If the wind is blowing in the direction the fire is moving, burning material will
fly ahead and spread the fire more quickly.
If the wind changes direction it can turn the long flank of a fire into a wide
front, increasing the severity of the bushfire.
Weather conditions- Fires tend to be more severe on hot days with low
relative humidity.
Humidity refers to the degree of moisture in the air.
Low humidity dries out the fuel, making it more easily flammable.
Australia is the most bushfire prone continent.
Why?
Australia is dominated by drought- and fire-tolerant vegetation, such as the
eucalypts. This was not always the case. Australia was once dominated by
bushfire-resistant rainforest. Why did it change? We do not know.
One of the most widely accepted theories recognises that Australia was
originally dominated by rainforest type vegetation. The climate changed
naturally over time, becoming drier as the continent of Australia moved
North to its current position.
As the continent dried, drought-tolerant vegetation gradually took over from
the rain-dependant vegetation, spreading north.
The drier environment favoured fire. The drought-tolerant eucalypts are also
fire-dependant, so as fires increased, they spread the eucalypt into newer
areas across the continent.
Other affecting factors…
Topography- Fire usually travels faster uphill than on
level ground or downhill. A fire moving uphill moves
more quickly because the flame is closer to the
unburnt fuel, and pre-heats it, causing it to ignite more
readily.
Type of fuel- Different fuels create different types of
fires. Moist fuel creates low-intensity fires. Dry fuel
creates high intensity fires.

State of the fuel- A period of high vegetation growth followed by hot, dry weather can dry out
vegetation, and provide for a more intense fire.

Nature of the fire- Fire may be a ground fire (slow, smouldering fire with no flame and little smoke),
surface fire (where it is the litter and low-lying vegetation burning), or crown fire (where the fire
moves rapidly through the canopy of the over-storey or top layer of vegetation). All three types may
be present at the one time.
What effect do fires have on the environment and
people?
Learning Task:
• Working in groups you will investigate four case studies.
• Record your groups findings on the sheet provided.
Case study 1- A eucalypt forest
Case study 2- Tropical savannah
Case study 3- Bushfire and people
Case study 4- Food webs and fire
• You will have 10 minutes at each Case study, then you will rotate to the next
one.

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