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Space monitoring of forest fires. / April 23, 2009 /

Summer fires on the Australian continent occur regularly. Materials of space shooting with КА «Resurs-Dk1» have allowed to localise the centres of ignition and ashes of one of the largest in the history of Victoria’s staff of the fire which has begun on February, 7th, 2009.

Summer fires on the Australian continent occur regularly. Usually fire quickly extends on the big territories because of a strong wind and air heat.

The strongest fires occurred to tragical consequences in 1851, 1898, 1926, 1939, 1983. On February, 7th, 2009 in the Australian staff Victoria there was the largest in the history forest fire. As a result of elements action are burnt about 2 thousand houses, 14 thousand more remained without an electrical supply, 7 thousand persons remained without a roof over the head. From now on in staff territory 400 seats of forest fire the part from which poses real threat, both for small settlements, and for big cities are registered. By this time they have extended on the area over 30 thousand hectares (for comparison, it is more territories of Luxembourg).

According to official figures, victims of forest fires in staff Victoria in 2009 of a steel of 208 persons. The majority of the lost people lived in small towns to the north from Melbourn. Was lost more than one million wild animals. On Saturday, on February, 7th, about 11 mornings in small town Kilmor Ist (Kilmore East) it was unexpectedly distributed the crash, and within several minutes fire has flared nearby pine wood. Because of a heat of air and incessant winds within only several hours fire has extended so that has destroyed all buildings and constructions on the way. Results of processing of materials of the space shooting spent this day with КА «Resource-dk» (fig. 1), have allowed to localise the ignition and ashes centres to define a direction and intensity of distribution of fire and a smoke. NTS ОМЗ continues supervision over fire-dangerous areas of Australia.




a Fig. 1.
The area of small town Kilmore East, shooting with КА «Resource-dk», 07.02.2009 By publication preparation are used materials of electronic mass-media

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