Bush and Forest Fires in Australia
1 March 2000
The Department of Natural Resources and Environment is responsible for the management of fire prevention and suppression on public lands in Victoria. The last updated bushfire statistic of 1 March 2000 shows 8 controlled fires. The locations of these fires are displayed in the statewide fire situation map below.
Fig.1. Statewide Fire Situation Map of Victoria, 1 March 2000
(Source: National Ressources and Environment)The Australian Bureau of Meteorology issued on 1 March 2000 an updated forecast for Northern Territory:
Top End, Gulf Country, Victoria River District...
Tropical Cyclone "Steve" is weakening in the Gulf Country and is moving west northwest. Gale force winds near the cyclone will ease overnight. Scattered showers and storms with widespread rain over the area. Widespread flooding over the eastern Top End and Gulf Country, and significant stream rises and localised flooding over the western Top End and the northern Victoria River District. Fresh northwest to southwest winds, strong about the north and east coasts and turning northeast in the Gulf country.
Barkly and Alice Springs Districts...
Fine apart from isolated showers and storms in the north. Moderate southeast winds.Fire Danger
Low throughout.As fire restrictions apply during the fire season, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology/South Australian Regional Office issued on 1 March 2000 a fire ban advice for following districts. In the list below the fire danger ratings for these districts are described in detail.
Fire Ban District Fire Danger Rating Northwest Pastoral
very high
Northeast Pastoral
high West Coast
very high Eastern Eyre Peninsula
very high Lower Eyre Peninsula
very high Flinders
very high
Mid North
very high
Mount Lofty Ranges
very high
Adelaide Metropolitan
very high Yorke Peninsula
very high Kangaroo Island
very high Riverland
very high
Murraylands
very high
Upper South East
very high Lower South East
extreme high Please have also a look on a list of links for information on Australian Fire Management Agencies:
Australasian Fire Authorities Council
http://www.ausfire.com/
The home page of the Australasian Fire Authorities Council coordinates the diverse range of activities of the different australian agencies concerned about fireFirebreak
http://msowww.anu.edu.au/~barling/firebreak/firebreak.html
The firebreak newsletter provides a very extensive homepage with information about fire fighting in Australia, downloadable java scripts for calculating fire weather and various links to related sitesThe Department of Natural Resources and Environment in Victoria
The Department of Natural Resources and Environment in Victoria offers a very comprehensive web site with information on fire management. In their web site current reports are provided with statistics on the fire season. Extensive background information is included along with several links to related web sites.
http://www.nre.vic.gov.au/fires/index.htm
Satellite Remote Sensing Services Department of Land Administration (DOLA)
http://www.rss.dola.wa.gov.au/apps/firewatch.html
The Satellite Remote Sensing Services (SRSS) of the Department of Land Administration provides near real time hot spot detection and burned scar mapping for western Australia. In the Firewatch project the SRSS detects hotspots throughout Western Australia using the thermal channel of the NOAA AVHRR sensor on a daily basis.For more informations on Australia go to the IFFN country files.