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.
The worst on record
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).
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
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.
SustainabilityInterconnection
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.
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!