Forest fires and bushfires

6 min read

If you live or spend time in Victoria's forests and bushland, you are in one of the highest bushfire risk locations in the world. Forest fires and bushfires are extremely hot and intense, and can lead to devastating loss of life and property. Once a fire has reached you in these areas, it can quickly become too dangerous for you to leave. On this page, learn more about what makes forest fires and bushfires so dangerous.

Summary

Tall, flammable trees and thick undergrowth create intense, hot bushfires.
Burning embers can travel kilometres ahead of a bushfire.
If you live in or visit these areas you need to understand the risk.
Reduce your risk by preparing your property before fire season.
Have a fire plan and be away from the bush on Extreme and Catastrophic Fire Danger days.

Forest fires and bushfires are intense and dangerous

The highly flammable trees in the Victoria's forests mean our bushfires can be some of the most intense in the world. Dense bushland and forests can have huge amounts of vegetation, in every size and thickness.

Vegetation found in forests and bushland

The wide range of vegetation types in these areas can act as fuel for very intense, hot fires.

Fast-burning sticks and leaves - catch fire easily.
Shrubs, bark and branches - burn quickly and create extreme heat.
Taller shrubs and hanging bark - help fire climb into the treetops.
Slow burning logs and thick, tall trees - burn very hot for hours.

Steep hills and mountains in these areas can speed up a fire and cause fires to become unpredictable. Strong winds can also be funneled through valleys. When this happens, a fire can move dangerously fast. Learn more about bushfire behaviour.

What to expect in a forest fire or bushfire

Bushfire behaviour

Learn how bushfires start and behave in the video below.

[Fire Behaviour]

The following may be distressing to some viewers.

Victoria is one of the most fire prone regions in the world.

Bush, grass, and scrub fires threaten homes every year. These fires are destructive and frightening and it is important for you to be aware of your environment and develop a fire plan to prepare yourself and your property.

Human activity such as campfires or using machinery near vegetation often starts fires but so can natural causes out of our control, such as lightning.

Vegetation, such as trees and other plants are fuel for fires. The more fuel there is the greater the intensity of the fire.

Fine fuels including leaves, twigs, and pieces of bark catch fire easily and burn fast, producing a lot of heat very quickly.

Larger fuels, such as logs and tree trunks take longer to catch fire but produce large amount of heat over a long time.

A continuous ladder of fine fuels from the ground to the tops of the trees can create intense and uncontrollable crown fires.

Wind plays a big role in the spread of fires. Embers can be lifted by the smoke column and carried far ahead of the fire by the wind starting new fires ahead of the main fire front.

The type of vegetation also affects how a fire behaves.

Open woodlands and scrub are more exposed to the effects of wind and fire will spread more quickly than in dense forests.

In scrub or coastal vegetation, fires can burn fiercely due to the large amounts of fine fuels.

Plants such as tea trees often contain flammable oils.

The wind can cause large showers of embers, which start new fires over short distances.

Grasslands are open to the full effects of wind and fires usually travel at about 10 to 20 kilometres per hour, but can reach speeds of up to 25 kilometres per hour in extreme conditions.

Topography, the physical features of the land, such as hills and valleys also play a role in the behaviour of fires. A fire travels much faster uphill and slower as it goes downhill. The wind can also be funnelled through a valley, changing the direction of a fire.

A wind change can be extremely dangerous. It looks like this community will be safe as the fire passes in the distance. But on a day of higher fire risk, the wind can suddenly change to a southwesterly, which pushes the fire to the northeast.

When this happens, the side of the fire can suddenly become the new fire front, much wider and more dangerous than the original one.

This can catch unprepared communities by surprise and have devastating effects.

In major fires, many people have died following a wind change.

Fires are unpredictable so leaving early is always your safest option.

Fires in forest and bush environments involve:

extremely dangerous levels of radiant heat which can kill you from a distance
showers of embers in the air from burning twigs, bark and debris which can start new fires around you and get into your clothes
spot fires from embers travelling long distances
fire coming from many directions and moving quickly
hanging bark spreading fire up tall trees like a ladder
fires in the tops of trees (crown fires) with flames reaching 30m or more into the air above them
very thick, choking, smoke and low visibility. It will be dark as night
fallen trees and blocked roads.

Access in and out can be limited

Trees can fall, blocking roads, damaging houses and in some cases, injuring and killing people.

There might also be lots of people trying to leave at the same time, particularly in popular recreation areas. This can cause traffic jams and make it very hard to get out.

If you live in the forest you may only have one road in and out, making it hard to evacuate in a fire, and difficult for fire trucks to gain access.

If you live close to or in the forest, you need to have a fire plan which includes what to do if it is too late to leave.

Be away from forests and bushland on days of high fire risk

Leaving early, well before there is a fire in the area is the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones.

You may think you have time to 'wait and see' how a fire develops in these areas, but many people have died trying to leave too late.

Be away from the forest or bush on days of Extreme and Catastrophic fire danger and keep yourself and your loved ones safe. If you were planning to visit these areas, reschedule your trip.

Resources

Your Guide to Survival

This guide provides essential information for anyone who lives, works or travels in Victoria so that they are prepared for the summer fire season.

You'll learn why you should leave early on fire risk days, how to plan for fire season, what to expect during a bushfire and how to stay informed of fires across your area and more.

Download (PDF 1.4MB)

Fire Ready Kit

This comprehensive resource is designed to help you plan for survival, beginning with the basics of preparing before the fire season, through to planning what to do if fire is in your area and you cannot leave.

Download (PDF 3.2MB)