Short Communication on Research Response to the Black Saturday (7th February 2009) Victorian Bushfires, Australia

ISSN： 0015-2684

Source： Fire Technology, Vol.47, Iss.2, 2011-04, pp. : 295-301

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Abstract

The bushfires of 7th February 2009 in and around Melbourne, Victoria, Australia resulted in loss of 173 lives, more than 2000 houses and other property, and many other assets. The questions and issues that quickly emerged will be the subject of debate, in Australia and internationally, for years to come. Importantly the fires of February the 7th were not one single fire, but many unconnected fires which occurred on an unprecedented day of extreme fire danger following prolonged drought. The fires affected communities which were solely in rural areas, in inter-mix areas, in rural–urban interface areas and in wholly suburban situations. This paper gives an overview of the extensive data collection exercise undertaken over a 3-month period by a team of researchers, fire investigators and agency personnel to attempt to learn the lessons of these fires. The paper briefly outlines some of the high level findings from near 2000 staff days of field work.