Bush and Forest Fires in Australia

30 January 2002

Fire Weather Forecast for the Pacific Region

Fig.1. Fire Weather Index for the 
Pacific Region for 31 January 2002.
(Source: ECPC Fire Weather Index Forecast)

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 30 January 2002 shows 10 controlled fires. The locations of these fires are displayed in the statewide fire situation map below.

Fig.2. Statewide Fire Situation Map of Victoria, 30 January 2002
(for legend of symbols see: National Resources and Environment)

Modis Land Rapid Response System

Fig.3. These images were acquired by the Moderate-resolution 
Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor on 30 January 2002
 are showing fires burning in Australia. For details see: 
http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/products_rr.html 
and image search support at:
http://www.uni-freiburg.de/fireglobe/current/MODIS.htm 
(For earlier satellite images: see Australia fire updates of 30 
December 2001 - 28 February 2002)

The Age Company
An animated map "The trail of Destruction" generated by The Age Company (2001) shows the development of fires starting on Boxing Day 2001:
http://www.theage.com.au/flash/special/firemap.html

CSA RADARSAT-1 Disaster Watch 

CSA RADARSAT-1 Disaster Watch offers the following scenes covering the Australia fires:

•  02 Jan 02 08:36:29 UTC; S1; cycle 93 orbit 184.89987 duration 0.00900; OBR -GSS orbit 186.3128)

•  03 Jan 02 19:21:21 UTC; S2; cycle 93 orbit 205.59160 duration 0.00900; OBR -GSS orbit 207.0713)

•  05 Jan 02 08:48:54 UTC; F3N-16; cycle 93 orbit 227.89808 duration 0.00910; OBR -GSS orbit 229.3107)

•  07 Jan 02 19:04:47 UTC; F4; cycle 93 orbit 262.59390 duration 0.00883; OBR -GSS orbit 264.00652)

• 17 Jan 2002 19:13:30 UTC; S3-16; cycle 94 orbit 62.59712 duration 0.00996; OBR -GSS orbit 65.0656)

For more information see: http://www.uni-freiburg.de/fireglobe/emergency/radarsat.htm

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology is the National Meteorological Service for Australia and provides essential meteorological services to all sectors of the Australian community.

Fire danger:

Northern Territory	High in the Alice Springs and Barkly Districts.
Western Australia
CENTRAL WEST	Very High
LOWER WEST	Very High
CENTRAL WHEATBELT	Very High
GREAT SOUTHERN	High
SOUTHWEST	High
SOUTH COASTAL	High
TOWN OF PORT HEDLAND	High
SHIRE OF ROEBOURNE	High
SHIRE OF ASHBURTON	High
SHIRE OF EAST PILBARA	High
KIMBERLEY	Moderate to High