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Wildfires - causes, effects, responses, and Black Saturday case study (AQA A Level)

Subject: Geography

Age range: 16+

Resource type: Lesson (complete)

Last updated

8 August 2020

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A fully planned lesson that covers the types, causes, effects and responses to wildfires; it also covers the case study of wildfires in South Australia (Black Saturday) High quality worksheets included within the ppt

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a level geography (physical) > Case Study - Alberta Wildfires > Flashcards

Case Study - Alberta Wildfires Flashcards

when did the Alberta Wildfire occur?

Where is Alberta?

Alberta is a province in Western Canada

what was the death toll?

not a single person died as a result of the wildfire

what caused the wildfire?

Conditions were extremely favorable to fire;

• A lack of winter snowfall, an early snowmelt in Spring combined with above average spring temperatures DRIED OUT THE GROUND.

Furthermore, in Late April;

• temperatures soared, very low humidity
• El Nino effect may have caused unusually warm and dry spring conditions.

what was the nearest settlement?

Fort Mcmurray

How did the wind inhibit efforts to control the blaze?

a shift in wind direction pushed the fire towards Fort Mcmurray.

explain the positive feedback which took place?

the intensity of the fire created its own weather patterns

• this included lightning
• this lightning led to additional fires breaking out.

what were the social impacts?

2400 homes and businesses destroyed

• movement in area was restricted and people couldn’t work as normal.
• water supplies became contaminated because untreated water was deliberately introduced into the municipal water supply to aid firefighters.

what were the economic impacts?

approx $9 billion of damaged to Fort McMurray - Canada’s costliest natural disaster.

• The mining and oil industry in the area was temporarily shut down and infrastructure was damaged.
• air travel at the nearest international airport was disrupted.

what were the political impacts?

the fire has prompted political debate on the possible impacts on climate change in terms of lengthening the wildfire season by through earlier spring melting. Has helped shaped Canada’s approach to climate change.

what were the environmental impacts?

the fire burned land equivalent to the size of Norfolk.

• the fire released several millions of tonnes of co2 into the atmosphere
• scorched soil and burnt tree roots severely affected the ecosystem.
• ash was washed into water courses, leading to water pollution and possible contamination of aquatic life.

what was the local response?

90,000 people were evacuated from Fort McMurray.

• Firefighters were able to save 85% of the city

National Response

The Alberta government has put in place extensive training regimes and evacuation plans.

• The Alberta Government declared a state of emergency and requested help from Canadian Armed Forces.
• The Canadian government provided welfare payments to those affected and made efforts to find temporary accommodation.

what was the international response?

Neighboring countries and those with wildfire experience offered aid;

Usa Russia Australia

what was the mitigation going forward?

• Wildfire mitigation strategy looks at most vulnerable areas and assesses land use in those areas.

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Fires in Nature ( AQA A Level Geography )

Topic questions.

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In higher income countries, insurance is available. Whilst this can be very costly, it does mean that any damage done during the event can be quickly rectified.

Replanting trees in fire-affected areas can quickly return the area to its original condition, thus preventing the spread of fire in any future event.

Education and warning systems can provide invaluable information to people in fire prone areas. Lookouts and regular patrols can help with early evacuation.

Use of retardants combined with controlled burning can contain a wildfire, provided this is well planned and co-ordinated in advance of the event.

Choose your answer

Figure 10 shows a wildfire on Saddleworth Moor, Greater Manchester, UK on 27 June 2018.

Note: Saddleworth Moor is an upland area north east of Manchester. The soils are composed of peat. In June 2018, there was a heatwave which was accompanied by virtually no rain and a dry wind for several weeks. Around 150 soldiers and firefighters were called in to tackle the blaze. The blaze lasted for weeks and may have been started deliberately.

Which is the most significant natural factor leading to the spread of a wildfire?

Unplanned human activities in natural locations. These activities, such as smoking or campfires, often combine with the dropping of materials which are combustible. 

Lightning strikes, particularly in areas of dense population that have very dry conditions in summer months. California is one such state in the USA.

Controlled burning by farmers undertaken to remove scrub land which may have been left fallow. This removes large areas of vegetation and allows for the planting of crops.

Prolonged periods of drought and high rates of evapotranspiration, especially in the summer months in sub-tropical climates. A strong dry wind increases the risk.

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Alberta - the impact and human responses as evidenced by a recent wildfire

• Case studies
• Created by: caramorton
• Created on: 13-01-18 17:45
• Began 1st May 2016
• 90,000 people evacuated
• It was nicknamed 'the beast' and swept through Alberta province
• Devastated the city of Fort McMurray, destroying 2400 homes & business
• 600,000 ha of land was burned
• No deaths and 85% of the city was saved
• Canada's most costliest disaster - $9bn in Fort McMurray alone
• The inital cause is unknown - it began in a remote forest SW of Fort McMurray
• The fire spread erratically - changing wind direction which carried embers over large distances. At one point the fire jumped over a 1km river
• A lack of winter snowfall and early snow melt combined with warmer than average temperatures dried out the ground
• In April temperatures soared up to 26°C (more than double the average) and the humidity was very low- vegetation became tinder dry
• In the first few days of May temperatures increased further to over 30°C and winds increased. This caused wider spread of the fires
• The intensity of the fire caused its own weather patterns including lightning - this in turn caused further fire - POSITIVE FEEDBACK
• A mass evacuation program was implemented and some 90,000 residents were escorted to safety. Lack of deaths show how good evacuation was
• The Alberta government declared a state of emergency and this triggered support from the Canadian armed forces. Offers of help were received from USA, Australia & Russia
• The Alberta government supported evacuees by providing CAN$1250 per adult. By 9 May the Canadian Red Cross had received donations in excess $50 million
• In nearby, Edmonton an online registry supported by local government was created to help evacuees find accommodation
• In June residents gradually returned. The Canadian prime minister promised long term aid to help support the re-building
• At the end of June 2016 a benefit concert 'Fire Aid' took place in Edmoton
• 90,000 forced to flee Fort McMurray
• Increased levels of anxiety about the future with people scared that fires of this nature may become more common due to climate change
• Jobs & livelihoods affected and movement in the area affected
• 2,400 homes burned down in Fort McMurray
• The fire has fuelled debate about the causes of the fire and links to climate change
• Alberta government had to co-ordinate the evacuation programme and oversee the phased re-entry
• Inital insurance estimates suggested CAN$9BN worth of damage in Fort McMurray
• Shell oil shut down its operations in the Albian sands mine. 600 camp units for workers destroyed by fire
• The wildfires cost the oil industry about $1BN in lost revenue and cost of replacing buildings destroyed in the fire
• Transport in the region was severely affected with buisnesses unable to export and import goods. Flights also cancelled from local airports
• The intensity of the fire severely affected the boreal forest ecosystem because of the scorched soil and burnt tree roots
• Huge amounts of waste e.g. rotting food had to be disposed of - much of this was toxic
• The fire will have released several million tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere adding to global warming
• Water supplies became contaminated as untreated water was delibrately introduced into the main water supply to assist fire fighters
• Toxins from the fire (mercury and lead) created air pollution as far away as the USA and Gulf coast
• Ash washed into the rivers after heavy rain contaminating fish and wildlife

Report Mon 12th March, 2018 @ 08:16

This is a great summary! It isn't letting me print, is there any other way I could get a copy of this resource?

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