2012–13 Australian bushfire season
| 2012–13 Australian bushfire season | |
|---|---|
Fires in Tasmania 2013
|
|
| Location | Australia |
| Statistics | |
| Date(s) | Late Winter (August) 2012 – Autumn (May) 2013 |
| Burned area | >914,760 ha (2,260,400 acres) |
| Buildings destroyed |
640+ total — 310 houses — 330+ non-residential structures |
| Fatalities | 4 |
| Injuries | 11 |
| Season | |
The 2012–13 Australian bushfire season had above average fire potential for most of the southern half of the continent from the east coast to the west. This is despite having extensive fire in parts of the country over the last 12 months. The reason for this prediction is the abundant grass growth spurred by two La Niña events over the last two years.
Most parts of the country experienced a heat wave at the start of 2013, with a new national average maximum being set on 7 January 2013. The new record of 40.33 °C (105 °F) beat the old record of 40.17 °C (104 °F) that had been set on 21 December 1972. Another record also beaten in 2013 was Australia's mean temperature climbing from 31.86 °C (89 °F) set on 21 December 1972 to 32.23 °C (90 °F) on 7 January 2013.
Additionally, six of the 20 hottest days in Australian records (by average maximum) have been in January 2013.
Australia also experienced its hottest summer on average following a particularly hot spell in January. Using average day and night temperatures the average was found to be 28.6 °C (83 °F) beating the previous record set in the summer of 1997–1988. Fourteen of the weather bureau's 112 long term weather stations recorded their hottest days on record including one in Sydney that recorded a daytime record of 46 °C (115 °F). The daytime maximum temperatures for 2012–13 also beat the 1982–83 record and January was the hottest month since records began in 1910.
Catastrophic fire danger ratings were observed in the Bombala, Condobolin, Hay, Nowra and Wagga fire regions on 8 January and in Coonamble on 13 January. Sydney also recorded its hottest day at 45.8 °C (114.4 °F) on 18 January.
On 16 December, a grass fire ignited along Geegulalong Rd., 9 km (5.6 mi) east of the community of Murringo. The fire burnt over 3,400 ha (8,400 acres) of grassland, destroyed 15 km (9.3 mi) of fencing and 500 head of livestock died.
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