The Black Summer Fires

The 2019–2020 Black Summer Fires

The bushfires that ravaged Australia during the spring and summer of 2019–2020 were unprecedented for their intensity, scale and impact. The impact on natural areas including rainforest areas was catastrophic.

In NSW:

• 5.3 million hectares of land were fire affected

• 35% of rainforest areas were impacted

• 54% of the Gondwana Rainforests World Heritage Area experienced fire

• vulnerable animal species face habitat loss, scarcity of food and water and predation by feral animals

• the most affected ecosystems were rainforests (37% of their statewide extent)

• rainforests that contain fire sensitive species may never recover.

Activity

1. View the YouTube video (05.24min) ABC 7.30 Report: Fire and Rainforest to engage with the impacts of fire on the rainforest areas of Lamington National Park, Queensland.

Mapping fire extent

A key to understanding the impacts of the fires is to accurately locate fire affected areas. Scientists use spatial datasets to enable ongoing monitoring of rainforest recovery.

World Heritage Areas and fire

In NSW 20 of the 28 Gondwana Rainforests reserves were fire-affected, including Border Ranges, Koreelah Nightcap, Mount Clunie, Mount Nothofagus, Tooloom, Washpool, Gibraltar Range, New England, Oxley Wild Rivers, Werrikimbe, Willi Willi, Mount Royal and Barrington Tops National Parks and Mount Hyland, The Castles and Mount Seaview Nature Reserves.

The Australian Government has updated UNESCO on the impacts of the fires on the world heritage area.

Read the full report (PDF) at the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment Gondwana Rainforests of Australia State of Conservation update - April 2020.

Activity

Interact with the SEED map to identify the extent of the fires in NSW and fire affected areas of world heritage.

To access the datasets follow the procedure below:

1. Launch the SEED map

2. Initiate your search by selecting 'I want to'

3. Select 'layer catalog'

4. Type in 'GEEBAM Burnt Area Class' or 'FESM'

5. Select 'OK'

6. Repeat the procedure to add the World Heritage Areas Australia dataset.

Learn more about the Fire Extent Severity Mapping and GEEBAM Google Earth Engine Burnt Area Map datasets at SEED.

Rainforests and fire

Rainforests have a natural protection against fire.

• They are located in protected areas such as gullies and creek lines.

• Fires move quickly uphill, away from gullies and creek lines.

• They are found in areas of high moisture.

• The closed canopy suppresses wind.

• The moist leaf litter burns slowly and helps to extinguish fire.

• They have low levels of ground fuel.

Rainforests are fire sensitive. Charcoal on trees show that rainforest areas have experienced fire in the past. It is recognised rainforests can regenerate after a single fire event but most rainforest species are unable to survive recurrent fire.

In 2019, Australia had experienced long term drought and conditions were extremely dry and hot. Leaf litter moisture readings taken in rainforest areas in the mid north coast found the results were similar to those of far western NSW. These conditions and the ferocity of the fires meant rainforest areas experienced fire. The short and longer term impacts on rainforests are currently under investigation with research taking place using spatial technologies and on the ground fieldwork.

Activities

1. Read the following list of rainforest characteristics. Explain how these characteristics lead to rainforest vulnerability in the case of bush fire.

• Tree species are long lived and slow growing and may take hundreds of years before reaching reproductive maturity.

• Species have thin bark and are unable to reflect or withstand fire.

• Larger, old growth trees have a greater risk of ignition and tree fall.

• Fire produces high tree mortality and dieback.

• Canopy and soil seed bank stores vary between species and may be viable for only small periods of time.

• Damage to the canopy affects the microclimate that produces favourable conditions for rainforest development and functioning.

• Canopy reduction changes the microclimate in favour of fire prone sclerophyll species such as eucalypts and weeds.

• Post-fire conditions can lead to an increase in pathogens such as Phytophthora and myrtle rust.

• Large numbers of animals rely on rainforest areas as habitat and for protection from fire.

2. Research the causes and effects of the Black Summer Fires on rainforest ecosystems.

3. In your opinion, how will rainforest ecosystems need to be managed in the future?