Global Information2015 Esperance bushfires information
| 2015 Esperance bushfires | |
|---|---|
 View of the Esperance fires from NASA's Suomi NPP, using Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) imagery on 17 November. | |
| Date(s) | 15 – 26 November |
| Location | Shire of Esperance |
| Coordinates | 33°6′21″S 120°59′2″E / 33.10583°S 120.98389°E (approximate ignition point of Cascades fire) |
| Statistics | |
| Burned area | More than 310,000 hectares (766,000 acres)[1] |
| Land use |
|
| Impacts | |
| Deaths | 4[1] |
| Structures destroyed | — 3 houses[2] — 16 non-residential buildings[2] |
| Damage | A$60–150 million[3][4][5] |
| Ignition | |
| Cause | Lightning[6] |
The 2015 Esperance bushfires were a series of catastrophic bushfires that burned from 15 to 26 November and affected the Goldfields-Esperance region in the Australian state of Western Australia. During the fires, the Shire of Esperance experienced two significant fires and a complex of fires; 128,000 hectares (320,000 acres) were burnt by the Cascades fire, 18,000 hectares (44,000 acres) were burnt by the Merivale fire, and 164,000 hectares (410,000 acres) were burnt by the Cape Arid complex of fires.[1][7] On 17 November, during the major run of the Cascades fire, four civilian fatalities occurred in vehicles traveling on Griggs Road in Scaddan.[1][8][9][10][11][12][13] As of 2020[update], the Cascades fire was equally the worst bushfire in Western Australia in terms of human fatalities along with the Willow Springs/Nannup[14] fire of January 1958.[5]
The Cascades fire destroyed Scaddan town hall, one house, 16 non-residential structures and dozens of vehicles in the communities of Grass Patch, Salmon Gums and Scaddan.[3][15] There was also significant damage to rural produce; approximately 4,500 head of livestock died and 30,000 hectares (74,000 acres) of crop—constituting about 500,000 tonnes of grain—were burnt.[2][16][17] In addition, the Merivale fire destroyed 2 houses in Stockyard Creek, and the Cape Arid complex destroyed significant areas of Western Ground Parrot habitat—reportedly up to 90%—prompting discussion that the critically endangered parrot could "... become the first bird in at least 200 years to become extinct in Western Australia".[1][18][19][20]
- ^ a b c d e Nous Group 2016, p. 9
- ^ a b c Nous Group 2016, p. 22
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
grills-hanswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ le Messurier, Danielle (19 November 2015). "Esperance bushfires: Damage bill for crop losses 'in excess of $60m'". Perth Now. Sunday Times. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
- ^ a b Sprague, Julie-Anne (19 November 2015). "WA bushfires claim lives, crops". farmweekly.com.au. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 20 December 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
- ^ "2015/16 Wandrra Eligible Disaster Proclamation Notification". ARGN688 Bushfires Esperance - 15 November 2015. Department of the Premier and Cabinet. 22 December 2015. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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pn-deathwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Design, UBC Web. "Bushfire Memorial | Monument Australia". monumentaustralia.org.au. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
nous-p19was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Esperance bushfire damage toll rising". 9news.com.au. AAP. 20 November 2015. Retrieved 26 November 2015.
- ^ Tomlin, Sam (29 March 2016). "Esperance bushfire investigation finds region poorly resourced against 'unstoppable' fires". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
- ^ Nous Group 2016, p. 20
- ^ Shine, Rhiannon (30 November 2015). "Fears for rare western ground parrot after Esperance fires destroy 90 per cent of habitat". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
- ^ Rhiannon Shine; Sam Tomlin (22 January 2016). "Western ground parrot 'facing extinction' after devastating Esperance bushfires". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 4 May 2016.