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Bushfires in Australia are very common. Australia's hot and dry climate is prone to bushfires in all Australian regions.
It is important and life-saving for residents and travellers to be prepared for bushfires. The different fire seasons reflect the varied weather patterns throughout Australia. Australia's hot and dry climate contributes to severe bushfires. The danger for bush fires increases with low humidity, strong winds and high temperatures.

• Winter and spring (June to December) is the bushfire season in the far north. This is the "dry" season, and even in winter it can be very hot during the days.
• The Australian centre has its fire season in spring and summer (September to March),
• while the fires season along the south & east coasts and Tasmania is from summer to autumn (December to June).

Low humidity, strong winds and high temperatures parch the land and the flora.
Lightning, careless people, and arsonists are the main factors that trigger bushfires in Australia.
Many Australian native plants, especially eucalyptus trees and bushes contain oils that make the plants burn easily in dry conditions.

Most Australian states have a fire restriction season during the hot summer months, usually from November 1st until the end of March. Open fires are only allowed under certain conditions during this time.
On days of total fire ban any fires outside are prohibited.

You can get more information about the fire restrictions and total fire bans from local newspapers, radio and the fire authorities. You'll also see the fire danger signs along highways and in Outback towns.

It is scary to think about this, and it is also hard to believe, but you can survive a fast-moving fire in your car, or a house, provided you are well-prepared.
The South Australian Country Fire Service has published fact sheets. They explain things you should know in detail, and much better than I ever could.
Prepare, Act, Survive is the slogan to survive bushfires in Australia. Bushfires have shaped the Australian environment, with many fire-adapted plant species that manage to survive bushfires.
Actually, bushfires often have benefit to plants and scrubs. Many native species in Australia need a fire ot make their seeds germinate.

Types of bushfires

Aborigines used controlled fires for land management, to burn dry grasses and scrubs, and support fresh growth.
It has been a subject of discoussion for many years, whether or not controlled fires should clear undergrowths in the woods to prevent serious bushfire blasts.

Grass fires are moving fast with medium heat. They can be up to three times faster than other bushfires. After years of flooding, grasses grow very high, and cover huge areas in Australia. Good for cattle and sheep. However, when the grasses dry out in the hot summers, the risk of severe grass fires is very high.

Bushfires usually move slower, but have a high intensity and smoulder for days. If the top of eucalyptus trees catch fire, the fire can move much faster, yet, it might really explode!
Unfortunately, especially around the fringe of the cities, bushfires end up in a disaster every couple of years. Usually, the bigger animals like kangaroos, koalas, goannas and lizards escape into the opposite direction when they smell smoke.
However, if a bushfire blasts, and the fire comes from several directions, it is hard to escape for animals and men.

A major bushfire destroys much of the flora, so animals have to move from their territories to other areas in order to find food.

The recent bushfires in Victoria have certainly killed a lot of wildlife. Many animals escaped with injuries and were taken to wildlife shelters.

The story of a koala that was found by a firefighter and rescued went around the world. The firefighters named the koala Sam. He drank three bottles of water, so parched was he. Unfortunately, Sam died from an infection a couple of months later.

I added this information box and protocol while the bushfires were still burning. Thankfully, the number of people who died have been revised down to 173 by the Victorian police on 30 March 2009. 414 people were injured. Most people died in the Kinkglake/Whittelsea area.
February 7th 2009 has been referred to as Black Saturday ever since.


Other disastrous bushfire catastrophes include the Ash Wednesday bushfires in South Australia and Victoria on 16th February 1983. 75 people lost their lives, and 2,400 homes burnt down.

When you travel down under, please be careful, obey to the rules, and don't trigger bushfires in Australia.

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Updated 18.12.2011