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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. The bushfires took place in mountainous countryside, and fires move much more quickly uphiill.

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.

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Q: What was the geographical process that caused the Black Saturday bushfires to occur?
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What time did the Queensland bushfire start?

The devastating bushfires in Victoria, Australia, officially started on Saturday, 7 February 2009. Fire authorities were alerted to the worst of the fires at Kilmore, at 11.20am on Saturday, when smoke and then flames were seen near the top of a hill outside the town in central Victoria.


What geographical process caused the Andes Mountains?

folding of the plates


What time did the Black Saturday bushfires start?

"Black Saturday" marked the start of massive bushfires in Victoria, Australia, which eventually killed 173. The fires began on 7 February 2009, and continued for almost five weeks. On 12 March 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.


How long did the black Saturday bushfire in Victoria last?

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.


How long did black Saturday last?

The Black Saturday bushfires began on 7 February 2009, and continued for almost five weeks. On 12 March 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.


When did the Victorian Black Saturday bushfires finish in 2009?

On 12 March 2009, authorities in Victoria announced that the last of the worst bushfires which caused the most death and devastation were under control. However, there were many minor fires that, without significant rain, were expected to continue to burn until the Australian winter, which begins in June. Conditions remained very dry, and lightning strikes caused more fires, but these were easily contained.


How common are wildfires in Australia?

Bushfires, as they are properly called in Australia, are very common, particularly during the summer months. Parts of southern Australia, where the summers can be very hot and dry for extended periods of time, are particularly bushfire-prone. Bushfires occur throughout Australia, wherever the vegetation becomes dried out and easily ignited during heatwaves or drought. A common cause of bushfires is when tinder-dry vegetation is struck by lightning.There have been several significant bushfires that have caused great devastation and loss of life in Australia since European settlement. The Black Friday bushfires (1939), Ash Wednesday bushfires (1983), Canberra bushfires (2003) and Black Saturday bushfires (2009) have been among Australia's worst natural disasters.


How long did it take to put out the black Saturday fire?

The 2009 Black Saturday bushfires were too large to be extinguished, but some of them were able to be controlled by water bombing and the various bushfire brigades. The fires eventually burnt themselves out.


When did the Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria Australia stop?

As of 12 March 2009, authorities in Victoria announced that the last of the severe bushfires which had begun on 7 February, and caused the most death and devastation in Australian history, were under control. However, there were many minor fires that, without significant rain, were expected to continued to burn until the Australian winter, which begins in June. Conditions remained very dry, and lightning strikes caused more fires, but these were easily contained.


What conditions can cause a bushfire?

There are several natural and man-made factors that can lead to bushfire conditions.Atmospheric conditions that cause lightning storms can result in bushfires. This is when a warm front meets a cold front. Statistics indicate that most bushfires are caused by lightning strikes.The intensity of bushfires is increased by dry vegetation, often after a period of heatwave, together with strong, gusting winds, and absence of precipitation. Droughts and prostrated heat are classic conditions for causing bushfires.A man-made condition that causes bushfires is sheer idiocy. Bushfires are, unfortunately, commonly caused by man's activities, whether arson or unintentionally lighting the fires such as by tossing cigarettes out of car windows, or not extinguishing campfires properly.High winds, coupled with dry air, can cause bushfires. Gusting winds cause faulty power lines to spark and arc, which easily ignites the vegetation into bushfires.


What stopped the black Saturday bushfire?

Time, and using up their fuel, i.e, vegetation.Firefighters used aerial water bombing while the rural bush fire brigades fought them in the ground. However, 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. There were so many fires that they could not all be extinguished. It was a matter of waiting for them ti simply burn themselves out.


What is bushfires?

Bushfires are fires which occur in the Australian bush, usually native bushland, which quickly spread out of control. They may last a matter of hours, or up to three weeks, as in the case of the deadly 2009 "Black Saturday" bushfires.Bushfire is also the general term for any grassfire that occurs in rural areas.Bushfires are common in Australia's southeast up to the Queensland/New South Wales border during the summer months, and again further north around Rockhampton. They also occur regularly in the southwest of Western Australia. The intensity of bushfires is increased by dry vegetation, often after a period of heatwave, together with strong, gusting winds, and absence of precipitation. Hilly or mountainous terrain is more prone to bushfires than flat land, where bushfires can be more easily controlled.Statistics indicate that most bushfires are caused by lightning strikes. Bushfires are, unfortunately, also commonly caused by man's activities, whether arson or unintentionally lighting the fires such as by tossing cigarettes out of car windows, or not extinguishing campfires properly. Faulty power lines are also often a cause. Sparking and arcing from these powerlines easily ignites into bushfires.For more detailed information concerning this subject, click on the related links section indicated below.