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2020–21 Australian bushfire season

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2020–21 Australian bushfire season
Date(s)June 2020 – present
LocationAustralia
Impacts
Deaths0
Structures destroyed73[1][2][3][4]

Following the devastating 2019–20 bushfires in Australia, authorities were urged to prepare early for the 2020–21 season.[5] The bushfire outlook for July to September 2020 was predicting a normal fire potential in Queensland with a good grass growth in many areas giving an increased risk of grass fires, an above normal season in the Kimberley region of Western Australia as a result of good rains from tropical cyclones, a normal but earlier season in the Northern Territory, an above normal season on the south coast of New South Wales and normal seasons elsewhere.[6][7]

Fires by state or territory

New South Wales

Duranbah Fire

In mid-August 2020, a bushfire starting from a burn off quickly got out of control in grassy vegetation in the Duranbah region. The fire burned out around 180 ha (440 acres) of grass and swampland. It threatened the small community of Duranbah near the Queensland and New South Wales border.[8]

In early October 2020, a bushfire was ignited in the Royal National Park near Waterfall in the Kangaroo Ridge, south of Sydney. The New South Wales Rural Fire Service believes this started due to a spot fire from a Hazard Reduction Burn on the other side of the Princes Highway. As of 11 October, it has been burning one day and is 286ha in size.[9]

On 23 November 2020, a bushfire flared to Watch and Act Level at Glenugie south of Grafton due to a short-lived heatwave which soared temperatures on the North and Far North Coastlines. It crossed the Pacific Highway and caused numerous spot fires adjacent to the Pacific Highway.

On 29 November 2020, three fires flared to Watch and Act level as a result of a soaring heatwave that had been wreaking havoc since 28 November. The first fire began in the suburb of Northmead, threatening homes in the suburb.

The second fire broke out in Faulconbridge (suburb of the Blue Mountains) and quickly spread by 3 hectares.

The third fire broke out near Kenthurst in Sydney’s Northwest.

Northern Territory

Sixteen fires during the dry season in the Northern Territory followed two record-breaking dry wet seasons meaning that vegetation was drying faster and earlier. The presence of gamba grass, introduced in the 1930s, in the savannah is also problematic with the grass being more combustible than native species.[10]

Queensland (Fraser Island Fire)

NASA satellite imagery on 14 November 2020 showing bushfires on Fraser Island

A large bushfire started on 14 October in Fraser Island it has impacted multiple communities and has caused people to flee their homes. This is the longest burning fire this season to date as it has been burning for over a month.[citation needed]

South Australia

On 10 November, a series of Bushfires took place due to hot and windy conditions contributing to Severe Thunderstorms mainly in the Yorke Peninsula. As of 11:20 pm ACDT there were 63 power outages affecting over 23,000 customers and over 100 incidents the South Australian Country Fire Service had attended throughout the day. This comes after the first Total Fire Bans were issued for South Australia for the first time in the 2020-21 Australian bushfire season.[11]

At 12:48 pm ACDT on 27 November, the South Australian Country Fire Service responded to a grass fire at Templers in the State's Mid North. Shortly after arriving the CFS declared an Emergency Warning and ordered people around Templers, Freeling, Lyndoch and Roseworthy to evacuate. Just after 3pm the fire was declared contained.[12]

At 12:37 pm ACDT on 11 January, an out-of-control bushfire raged in the Lower South East of South Australia near the township of Lucindale. As of 2:36 pm 12 January over 14,000 ha of grass and scrub was burnt. After having over 200 firefighters working around the clock, the fire threat has reduced and contained with help from the Victorian Country Fire Authority.[13]

At 4:15 pm ACDT on 24 January, a Bushfire took hold at Cherry Gardens under Extreme weather conditions, located in the Adelaide Hills. At 4:36pm the first Emergency Warning was issued for people living on Hicks Hill Road, Orchard Road, Lewis Street and Prith Road, soon towns were being notified to evacuate as the fire raged out-of-control towards homes that would pose a threat to lives in its path. As of 7:15pm on 25 January the fire was declared Contained. The South Australian Country Fire Service are still at the scene of this fire as of 29 January to extinguish hot spots and prevent flare ups.[14]

Cherry Gardens Fire on 24 January

Western Australia

A Bushfire Emergency Warning was declared for the City of Swan on 24 December with 5 ha (12 acres) of land being burnt.[15]

A bushfire started burning on 2 January in areas to the north of Perth. By 5 January a total area of 2,000 ha (4,900 acres) of bushland had been burned out and properties threatened in Gingin and Dandaragan with residents of Ocean Farms Estate being ordered to evacuate and farmers east of Lancelin also encouraged to leave.[16] By 7 January 10,000 ha (25,000 acres) of land over the Gingin and Dandaragan shires had been burned with 200 fire fighters combating the blaze.[17]

A Lockheed C-130H engaged in fighting the Kwinana bushfire

On January 3 a dangerous bushfire began in Postans and quickly spread through bushland in The Spectacles, Hope Valley and Kwinana Beach, putting industrial buildings and the oil refinery at risk, as well as Perth Motorplex. Strong winds made the fire hard to control, but it was downgraded to a watch and act on 4 January.[18]

A bushfire in High Wycombe, a suburb in the east of Perth, on January 15 and burned through about 4 ha (9.9 acres) of bushland requiring some 75 firefighters to contain it.[19] Another fire was also burning in York on 15 January resulting in the loss of one home and shed on a hobby farm near the Great Southern Highway.[1]

Another fire started burning on 16 January in a nature reserve[20] in the suburb of Oakford in Perth's southern suburbs resulting in the closure of Kwinana Freeway between Mortimer and Anketell Roads and the loss of one house. Approximately 150 fire fighters and 50 vehicles along with aerial bombers were required to combat the blaze.[2] Over 100 ha (250 acres) of bushland was burned out.[20]

On 1 February 2021 the 2021 Wooroloo bushfire started at Werribee Road, Wooroloo.[21] Over 500 fire fighters and 90 fire trucks were required to battle the fire and spread to parts of Wundowie, Gidgegannup and Chidlow. More than three houses, outbuildings and two fire trucks were destroyed.[3] The fire remained uncontrollable overnight, and reached ground just east of The Vines by mid morning on the following day, by that stage it had a 60 km perimeter and was 7000 hectares in size.[22] At lunch time on 3 February it was confirmed that 71 houses had been lost, with areas of Bullsbrook and Shady hills in Perth's north advised to evacuate due to predicted wind changes combined with steep terrain that is inaccessible to vehicles.[23][24]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Bushfire East of Perth in Shire of York Destroys One Home". news.com.au. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  2. ^ a b Claire Ottaviano (16 January 2021). "Kwinana Freeway closed as out of control bushfire rages on in Perth's south". The West Australian. Seven West Media. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Out of control Wooroloo bushfire sparks emergency warning to residents to take immediate action". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 1 February 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  4. ^ "Number of homes lost in Perth Hills bushfire revised up to 71". ABC News. 2 February 2021.
  5. ^ "Wildfires - Fire expert urges Australian government to "prepare now for 2021"". Imperial College. 22 January 2020. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  6. ^ "Australian Seasonal Bushfire Outlook: July 2020". Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  7. ^ "Above-average fire threat forecast for bushfire-ravaged parts of South-East NSW". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 10 July 2020. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  8. ^ "Fast-moving fire in north-east NSW marks first big blaze of the season". The Sydney Morning Herald. 19 August 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  9. ^ "Major Fire Update Details". www.rfs.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  10. ^ Laetitia Lemke (18 June 2020). "Two dry wet seasons spark early start to NT's grass fires, leaving experts worried". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  11. ^ Ben Brennan, Andrew Hough, Dixie Sulda and Patrick James. "Wild weather across South Australia sparked 146 fires which have been contained". The Advertiser. Retrieved 12 January 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ Inga Neilsen. "Emergency bushfire warning near Adelaide". 9News. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  13. ^ Kathryn Bermingham and Emily Cosenza. "Bushfire at Lucindale, Avenue Range, Woolumbool and Stewart Range downgraded to advice message". PerthNow. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  14. ^ ABC.net.au. "BHomes destroyed by Cherry Gardens bushfire as suspicions raised about cause". ABC. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  15. ^ "Bushfire Emergency Warning in the City of Swan". Perth Now. 24 December 2020.
  16. ^ Sarah Steger. "Perth bushfires 2021: Residents flee out-of-control fire burning in Gingin and Dandaragan areas". PerthNow. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  17. ^ "Harsh weather in coming days expected to worsen WA fire conditions". 9 News. Nine Network. 7 January 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  18. ^ Tabarak Al Jrood (4 January 2021). "Kwinana bushfire in Perth enters second day with warning over dangerous fire weather". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  19. ^ "Fire threatening lives and homes in Daliak in Shire of York now contained". PerthNow. West Australian Newspapers. 15 January 2021. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  20. ^ a b "Emergency bushfire warning issued for residents in Perth's south, properties under threat". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 16 January 2021. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  21. ^ "Bushfire in Perth Hills - Wooroloo at emergency level". 1 February 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  22. ^ "Perth bushfire may have claimed 10 homes Mayor says". 2 February 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  23. ^ "Perth bushfire news: DFES Commissioner warns more homes will likely be confirmed lost in coming days — as it happened". Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  24. ^ "Perth Hills bushfire conditions set to worsen as number of homes lost revised up to 71". Retrieved 3 February 2021.
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