Investigating Factors Influencing Bushfires
Given that bushfires are a common occurrence in Australia, and their potential to cause a lot of damaged to the environment, property, and life, they are and active area of scientific research. Understanding how bushfires behave in a range of different conditions allows us to make better operational decisions when fighting them, and gives people earlier warning about when to leave.
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In this task you will investigate the impact of one environmental condtion on bushfires. You will
As all the practicals are going to involve fire in some way there is a heightened risk associated with any practical that is designed. Therefore the idea for how your practical will be conducted must be approved by your teacher prior to the formal documenatation of your design, and a risk assessment completed before the conducting of your practical.
- decide on a research question
- undertake background research
- design a practical to test that research question
- conduct the practical
- report on the results
As all the practicals are going to involve fire in some way there is a heightened risk associated with any practical that is designed. Therefore the idea for how your practical will be conducted must be approved by your teacher prior to the formal documenatation of your design, and a risk assessment completed before the conducting of your practical.
Below there are some ideas listed for what you may choose to investigate , please note that this is not an exhaustive list and other investigation questions are possible
- The effectiveness of fire suppressants on the time it takes for fuels to catch
- The effect of fuel moisture on ignition time
- The effect of fuel diameter/thickness on ignition time
- The effect of fuel density on rate of spread
- The effect of inclination on rate of spread
- The effect of wind on rate of spread
- The effect of temperature on rate of spread