HSC Geography · Human–Environment Interactions

# 14.3 The Black Summer Fires of 2019–2020

Chapter 14 · Contemporary Hazard case study · NESA Stage 6 (2022) · Revision deck
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this resource may contain names, images or references to people who have died.
By the end you can…

## Learning goals

- State the scale with precise figures.
- Explain the causes & climate link.
- Name specific fires.
- Describe environmental & human impacts.
- Evaluate the response & cultural burning.

Section 1

# The scale

## The worst on record

~19M ha
burnt
~3 bn
animals affected
$10 bn+
estimated cost
33+
direct deaths

Also: ~65,000 displaced; ~3,000 homes lost; NSW ~5.3M ha. Smoke caused hundreds more deaths.

Section 2

# Causes & conditions

## A perfect storm

Record drought

2019 = hottest & driest year on record; dry fuel.

Extreme heat

Temperatures over 40°C.

Strong winds

Rapid spread; the FFDI off the scale.

All amplified by human-induced climate change (Chapter 13).

Section 3

# The major fires

## Name specific fires

- Gospers Mountain (NSW) — a megafire from one lightning strike; ~500,000 ha; Blue Mountains WH area.
- Currowan (NSW south coast) — ~500,000 ha over ~74 days; 312 homes; 3 lives.
- Mallacoota (Vic) — beach evacuation by the Royal Australian Navy.

A megafire = an extraordinarily large, intense fire (often >100,000 ha).

Section 4

# Environmental impacts

## The toll on nature — and a feedback loop

~3 bn
animals killed/displaced
~900 Mt
CO₂ released
6
World Heritage sites hit

~900 Mt CO₂ ≈ a year of Australia's emissions — a fire–climate feedback: warming drives fires that add more CO₂.

Section 5

# Human impacts & response

## Communities & recovery

Multi-agency response & the National Bushfire Recovery Agency

State fire services + thousands of volunteers, the ADF and international crews. A Royal Commission recommended better coordination, more hazard reduction, improved aerial firefighting & clearer warnings.

Sustainability Interconnection
Section 6

# Lessons & the future

## What Black Summer changed

Cultural burning — part of the way forward

Renewed recognition of First Nations cultural burning — cool, fine-grained fire management — alongside contemporary methods. Living knowledge, led by communities. Learn from AIATSIS · NITV.

The climate link is real; preparedness must improve.

Recap

# Focus area complete

## Pull it together

- Scale: ~19M ha, ~3bn animals, $10bn+, 33+ deaths.
- Causes: drought + heat + wind, amplified by climate change.
- Fires: Gospers Mountain, Currowan, Mallacoota.
- Impacts: ~3bn animals, ~900Mt CO₂ (feedback), 6 WH sites.
- Response: multi-agency; Recovery Agency; cultural burning ahead.

Land cover (12) → climate (13) → hazard (14) — all interconnected. Well done!

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