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The Black Thursday bushfires were a devastating series of fires that swept the state of Victoria, Australia on 6 February 1851. They are considered the largest Australian bushfires in a populous region in recorded history, with approximately 5 million hectares, or a quarter of Victoria, demolished. Twelve lives were lost, along with one million sheep and thousands of cattle.

''" The fire kept enlarging its orbit, rolling about like some huge monster, destroying everything it touched, its track marked by charred timber, embers and ashes, cries and lamentations. Not content with dashing along the ground, it ran up the highest trees and the flames leaped in monkey fashion from tree to tree. " Source:  Melbourne Herald February 1883 The Black Thursday of Port Phillip by Garryowen, An Eye - Witness

=Causes= Australia experienced a devastating drought throughout 1850, and suffered from extreme heat and a debilitating lack of rainfall. The pastures and plains were shriveled wastelands. Water-holes disappeared, creeks dried up, and trees turned into combustible timber as cattle perished in large numbers.

=Summary= On February 6, 1851, a strong furnace-like wind came down from the north and gained power and speed as the hours passed. It is believed that the disaster began in Plenty Ranges when a couple of bullock drivers left logs burning unattended, which set fire to long, dry grass that was subjected to the recent drought. Day turned to night as clouds of smoke filled the air. Forests and ranges became one large “sheet of flames.” Homes, crops, and gardens were consumed by the rushing fire leaving a quarter of Victoria in a heap of desolate ruins. The community fled to water to escape the suffocating air around them. After everything was over, the community returned to the sight of “blackened homesteads” and the charred bodies of animals that could not escape. The calamity ended in the loss of twelve lives, one million sheep, and thousands of cattle. There was widespread damage for 40 or 50 miles. The evening brought a cool breeze and light rain that only cooled the surface.

=Weather= The early morning air was like an oven. By eleven it was about 117 degrees Fahrenheit or 47.2 degrees Celsius in the shade. The air cooled to 109 degrees by one o'clock and raised to 113 degrees around four o’clock. Survivors claimed the air was so full of smoke and heat that their lungs seemed to collapse. The air was so dark it made the roads seem bright.

The weather at sea was even “more fearful than on shore.” The intense heat was felt 20 miles out at sea. According to Captain Reynolds, a whirlwind struck the ship and cinders surrounded it as dust covered the deck.

=Response= The initial response to the catastrophe was a public meeting held on February 11, 1851 at Geelong. The community came together to discuss relief efforts for those affected, especially for citizens who lost everything. To assist the poor, many even canceled outstanding debts.

More recently, the Australian government has made preparations and developed organizations to help Australians cope with the recurring disturbances. The World Wide Fund for Nature Australia, or WWF, has collaborated with the government on conservation efforts. The Council of Australian Governments, or COAG, established a committee to determine measures that may be taken by governments, industry, and the community to minimize the effects of bushfires and their impact on society and the environment. In the Inquiry on Bushfire Mitigation and Management of 2003, several recommendations were submitted to the committee to help improve life in Australia. The WWF, for example, analyzed the disturbance regime in Southern Australia and its causes, both natural and anthropogenic. They suggested that the government’s committee examine the effects of human land use in order to determine the best methods for mitigation and management practices. They also sought to find the balance between asset protection and the conservation of biodiversity. All in all, Australia is taking important steps to cope with the country’s recurring disturbances and to protect its natural environment.

=Effect on various regions= The fire scorched many regions including Portland, Plenty Ranges, Westernport, the Wimmera and Dandenong districts, Gippsland, and Mount Macedon. Farms across the region were totaled, a number of settlements were destroyed in Gippsland, Westernport, Geelong, Heidelberg and east to Diamond Creek and Dandenong, and three men from Mount Macedon lost their lives. Overall, the disaster resulted in the death of twelve people, one million sheep, and thousands of cattle over 40 to 50 miles.

=Ecological effects=

Intense bushfires are not uncommon in southern Australia. It is one of the three most fire-prone regions in the world. Within the last two hundred years, the area has experienced and documented at least twenty-five major fires, beginning with Black Thursday in 1851. The area’s disturbance regime has shaped the landscape by causing the plant communities to evolve and develop mechanisms to aid in speedy recovery. The native species of the Australian bush, for example, have developed post fire seed release and smoke exposure germination. Other plants, like the Acacia, Eucalyptus, and Monotoca elliptica have adapted to survive in dry, nutrient poor soil and easily flammable leaves.

The intensity of these fires is due, in part, to natural fuels in the region, like sclerophyll trees for example. While adapting to cope with drought and predators, the trees’ leaves turn into prime fuel for fires. They become tough as protection from dry conditions and to increase the efficiency of nutrient use. They also develop tough spikes and chemicals to protect themselves from small animals. The leaves’ tough surface allows them to last longer and build up on the forest floor and the chemical makes them flammable. The abundance of flammable fuel, however, can cause an inferno with a single spark.