Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Social Studies Blog 3 (international news)


Wildfire in Australia!

During the weekend of February 7, in Australia a horrid wildfire took the lives of 210. This fire will continue to kill more if the nations arid, dry conditions carry on in the southeast of Australia. So, what this means is that unless Australia receives some rainfall this wildfire will continue to blaze on. In fact Stuart Ord quotes, "This is how it will be until late March-early April unless we get some rain."

Following is the damage done by the wildfire:
2,029 homes were destroyed recently
Previously this number was 1,800.
Reparing this damage would cost in US Dollars about $504 million.
1.1 million acres have been destroyed since November.

A repeat of February 7 is what Ord called a "worst case scenario." Temperatures would rise up to 115.5 degrees Fahrenheit and wind speeds would pick up to about fifty miles an hour. However the next "major challenge" was Friday which would present temperatures of 104 degrees Fahrenheit and wind speeds of thirty-one miles per hour.

"We have to do our very best to manage both the fatigue amongst our crew but keep going hard enough so we can contain these fires and prepare for Friday," says Russel Rees the County Fire Authority.

Hopefully Australia will be ready to take on these challenges.

Link to Original Article:
Australian wildfire danger looms for months: officials.

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