Ash Wednesday February 1983 – el Nino
The term El Niño ("the child" or "the Christ child") refers to a warming of surface waters and the increase in average air temperatures in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.
• Natural Disaster
• The Ash Wednesday bushfires were a series of bushfires that happened in south-eastern Australia on 16 February 1983. Over 180 fires were raging with winds traveling up to and beyond 110 km/h. 75 fatalities and 2,676 casualties were confirmed. This includes the 17 volunteer fire-fighters.
• How la Nina effected the Natural Hazard
• The El Niño drought over eastern Australia in 1982 led to tinder dry conditions throughout the grasslands and forests of south-eastern Australia. The summer rainfall for Victoria that year, was up to 75% less than in previous years. The heated air and strong winds would have increased the volume of the fires.
• Preparations
• The residents of Adelaide Hills were not very prepared for the disaster, as it was in 1983, and the safety cautions were not taken as seriously we do know. The intense heat, and low rainfall, was hard to overcome and prepare for against. Despite this, the 8,000 residents were evacuated beforehand, saving numerous lives.
• Social Impacts
• Ash Wednesday of 1983 was argued to be the disaster to have the greatest impact on Australian National psyche. The amounts of lost lives were terrible and would have ruined the lives of manyh and their communities. The survivors were asked to tell their stories on the 25th anniversary at museums hosting exhibits.
• Environmental Impacts
• 2,080 km2 in South Australia and 2,100 km2 in Victoria were affected in one day. 5,196 km2 burnt throughout the 1982/83 season of the fires. Urban/rural fringe areas, farmland, and forest reserves were also affected by the fires.
• Economic Impacts
• Over 3,700 buildings were destroyed or damaged and 2,545 individuals and families lost their homes. A total of 4,540 insurance claims were paid totalling $176 million with a total estimated cost of well over $400 million. Over 340,000 sheep and a further 18,000 cattle were killed.
• Local Effect
• A systematic review of fire safety was undertaken; areas under high tension pylons were cleared and local domestic lines considered to be at risk were replaced with insulated three-phase supply lines.
• State Effect
• Many of the lessons learned in building better homes for fire survival, bush management and emergency response efficiency. In South Australia, an inquest into the fires found that the communication systems used by the Country Fire Service were inadequate and, as a result, the Government radio network was installed.
• Federal Effect
• 20,000 national volunteer fire-fighters battled the 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfires. The next year, it rocketed to 30,000 national fire-fighters and even more Emergency Response Units. The fedral government began a new fire-fighting service the next month.
