Bushfires in Australia, What are the Causes?
Australia is often hit by bushfires during summer months from December to February. Causes can be lightning, arson, power-line arcing, dropped cigarettes or controlled burns that go wrong.
On 7 February 2009 a prolonged heat-wave and dry spell led to the Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria. The fires became Australia's worst natural disaster, killing 173 people and burning thousands of houses.
On 16 February 1983 almost 200 fires caused devastation across parts of Victoria and South Australia. Seventy-five people died in what became known as the Ash Wednesday fires.
In January 2013, parts of NSW and Tasmania were hit by fires as temperatures soared to record levels, with average national temperatures topping 40 degrees Celsius. One person died in Tasmania and several hundred buildings were destroyed.
The fires have been burning in the Blue Mountains since Thursday, with a state of emergency declared at the weekend.
"There's not been fires quite like this before - so big, so intense and so fast. We're talking about a fire that at some points is five storeys high," Mayor of the Blue Mountains Mark Greenhill told LaNUBlog.COM on Tuesday.
"[Wednesday] is going to be a horror day in terms of the weather and could be a horror day in terms of the fire," he said.
Police and Emergency Services Minister Michael Gallacher said residents in the Blue Mountains needed to have a plan.
"Pack the car now, head down the mountain, come down and enjoy time in the metropolitan area and allow the firefighters the freedom to move through the community to protect your homes," he said.
Sam Buckingham-Jones, who is from Springwood, said he was ready to evacuate if necessary.
"There has been a very strong wind today, about 100km/hr," he told LaNUBlog.COM.
"There is a bushfire only 100m away from where we live. Everyone here is talking about what would they take with them if they have to evacuate - we packed a lot of stuff in the cars and we are ready to leave if we have to."
Further north, an "emergency" alert has been issued for a fire on the outskirts of Newcastle, with residents in Minmi told to leave.
So far the fires in New South Wales have destroyed more than 200 homes. One man has died, possibly of a heart attack while defending his home.
New Prime Minister Tony Abbott, meanwhile, has hit back at comments by UN climate chief Christiana Figueres linking bushfires to global warming and criticising his decision to repeal a tax on carbon emissions introduced by the previous government.
"The official in question is talking through her hat," Mr Abbott told local media.
"Climate change is real, as I've often said, and we should take strong action against it. But these fires are certainly not a function of climate change - they're just a function of life in Australia."
Mr Abbott, who took office in September, has drafted legislation to repeal the carbon tax, which imposed a levy on the country's 300 biggest polluters.
The new prime minister, who says the tax cost jobs and forced energy prices up, wants to introduce a Direct Action plan under which farmers and industry will be paid to act to reduce emissions.
On 7 February 2009 a prolonged heat-wave and dry spell led to the Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria. The fires became Australia's worst natural disaster, killing 173 people and burning thousands of houses.
On 16 February 1983 almost 200 fires caused devastation across parts of Victoria and South Australia. Seventy-five people died in what became known as the Ash Wednesday fires.
In January 2013, parts of NSW and Tasmania were hit by fires as temperatures soared to record levels, with average national temperatures topping 40 degrees Celsius. One person died in Tasmania and several hundred buildings were destroyed.
The fires have been burning in the Blue Mountains since Thursday, with a state of emergency declared at the weekend.
"There's not been fires quite like this before - so big, so intense and so fast. We're talking about a fire that at some points is five storeys high," Mayor of the Blue Mountains Mark Greenhill told LaNUBlog.COM on Tuesday.
"[Wednesday] is going to be a horror day in terms of the weather and could be a horror day in terms of the fire," he said.
Police and Emergency Services Minister Michael Gallacher said residents in the Blue Mountains needed to have a plan.
"Pack the car now, head down the mountain, come down and enjoy time in the metropolitan area and allow the firefighters the freedom to move through the community to protect your homes," he said.
Sam Buckingham-Jones, who is from Springwood, said he was ready to evacuate if necessary.
"There has been a very strong wind today, about 100km/hr," he told LaNUBlog.COM.
"There is a bushfire only 100m away from where we live. Everyone here is talking about what would they take with them if they have to evacuate - we packed a lot of stuff in the cars and we are ready to leave if we have to."
Further north, an "emergency" alert has been issued for a fire on the outskirts of Newcastle, with residents in Minmi told to leave.
So far the fires in New South Wales have destroyed more than 200 homes. One man has died, possibly of a heart attack while defending his home.
New Prime Minister Tony Abbott, meanwhile, has hit back at comments by UN climate chief Christiana Figueres linking bushfires to global warming and criticising his decision to repeal a tax on carbon emissions introduced by the previous government.
"The official in question is talking through her hat," Mr Abbott told local media.
"Climate change is real, as I've often said, and we should take strong action against it. But these fires are certainly not a function of climate change - they're just a function of life in Australia."
Mr Abbott, who took office in September, has drafted legislation to repeal the carbon tax, which imposed a levy on the country's 300 biggest polluters.
The new prime minister, who says the tax cost jobs and forced energy prices up, wants to introduce a Direct Action plan under which farmers and industry will be paid to act to reduce emissions.
LaNUBlog.COM.
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