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Social And Economic Impact Of Bushfires On Regional Victorian Communities

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Victoria has experienced multiple massive bushfire events over the last two decades, the latest occurring in 2019/20. These bushfires have had devastating repercussions for regional communities from high country pastures to grasslands and coastal towns, leading to loss of life, destroyed homes and businesses destroyed or disrupted local economies disrupted natural environments - impactful impacts that often lack adequate resources and support systems to cope with post-event aftermaths. This essay will analyse the wide-ranging impacts experienced by regional Victorian communities as a result of bushfires, as well as examine underlying social and economic factors that increase vulnerability and diminish adaptive capacity in at least one regional …show more content…

Homes, businesses, and community facilities have been destroyed - leaving many without shelter or livelihoods. Throughout the 2019/20 bushfire season alone, over 2,000 homes across Victoria were destroyed, with some communities such as Mallacoota on East Gippsland coast facing significant difficulty recovering after being completely cut off from society and having significant challenges rebuilding after such devastating losses, as such this impactful loss has had ripple effects throughout these affected communities as people struggle to rebuild lives while their local economies suffer as a result of having suffered …show more content…

Loss of life, property damage, economic disruption and environmental degradation all play a part in these devastating events, leaving an aftereffect with devastating challenges for these affected communities in their wake. This essay will examine some underlying social and economic factors which contribute to increased vulnerability while simultaneously challenging adaptive capacity among regional communities when facing bushfires. There are various social and economic factors that make regional communities more prone to bushfire impacts, such as population density. Many regional communities with relatively few residents distributed over an extensive geographical area make emergency response harder as emergency personnel must cover large areas with limited resources; additionally, their spread-out nature makes it more challenging for individuals seeking information or support during bushfire

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