In February 2010, the Royal Commission into the Black Saturday bush fires officially blamed faulty power lines and an incorrect fitting which caused the power lines to fail for starting the worst of the fires, the one which killed 119 at Kinglake.
Arsonists were also partially to blame, though no formal blame has been cast on them. Each place where someone's life was lost was treated as a crime scene, because the authorities said the speed with which the fires started and then took off was more likely to have occurred as a result of being deliberately lit. Fire criminologists and special investigations task forces confirmed this.
Carelessness was another cause: a lit cigarette, tossed from a passing car or truck, was blamed for starting the major bushfire that hit Bendigo, destroying 50 houses and killing two people.
At Horsham, in western Victoria, a faulty power line was found to be the cause of the fire which began in that region. Arson has, at least, been ruled out in this instance. It is believed arcing began due to a faulty insulator, resulting in showers of sparks falling to the ground and igniting the dry grass. Similarly, the survivors of the Kinglake fire, which wiped out the entire town and killed so many, launched class action as that fire also appeared to have been started by faulty power lines.
Victoria and the southern Australia region had recently experienced one of their hottest summers on record, with a heatwave over parts of Victoria and South Australia. This was on top of a drought which had lasted a dozen years. This had dried up the vegetation, making it like tinder in a fireplace - easily ignited and easily spread. Spot fires also occurred as strong, gusting winds - some hurricane-force - carried blazing embers beyond the fire fronts: these fires quickly fanned into larger fires.
In February 2010, the Royal Commission into the Black Saturday bush fires officially blamed faulty power lines and an incorrect fitting which caused the power lines to fail for starting the worst of the fires, the one which killed 119 at Kinglake.
Arsonists were also partially to blame, though no formal blame has been cast on them. Each place where someone's life was lost was treated as a crime scene, because the authorities said the speed with which the fires started and then took off was more likely to have occurred as a result of being deliberately lit. Fire criminologists and special investigations task forces confirmed this.
Carelessness was another cause: a lit cigarette, tossed from a passing car or truck, was blamed for starting the major bushfire that hit Bendigo, destroying 50 houses and killing two people.
At Horsham, in western Victoria, a faulty power line was found to be the cause of the fire which began in that region. Arson has, at least, been ruled out in this instance. It is believed arcing began due to a faulty insulator, resulting in showers of sparks falling to the ground and igniting the dry grass. Similarly, the survivors of the Kinglake fire, which wiped out the entire town and killed so many, launched class action as that fire also appeared to have been started by faulty power lines.
Victoria and the southern Australia region had recently experienced one of their hottest summers on record, with a heatwave over parts of Victoria and South Australia. This was on top of a drought which had lasted a dozen years. This had dried up the vegetation, making it like tinder in a fireplace - easily ignited and easily spread. Spot fires also occurred as strong, gusting winds - some hurricane-force - carried blazing embers beyond the fire fronts: these fires quickly fanned into larger fires.
because black means sad and it was on a Saturday .
in summer
450,000
173 people died and 414 were injured.
in the black Saturday bushfire 400 people were killed. 1 dog died and 3 fish died as well. it was absolutely devastating to lose that many fish. sniff sniff
donna search the web
Yes. The Black Saturday fires began on 7 February 2009, and continued for almost five weeks.
One is not to build your house in an area where you can get easily burnt out when conditions get dangerous. the land may be beautiful and cheap but in the end the costs may be tragic.
Sat 5th Feb
Ash or soot from a bushfire can turn a white sheep black.
you have to start a another fire
The "Black Saturday" bushfires in Victoria officially lasted almost 5 weeks - from their beginning on 7 February to 12 March when Victorian authorities announced that the last of the worst bushfires which caused the most death and devastation were under control. However, smaller fires continued, controlled, for many months after that.