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"Why did the residents of Morwell suffer for 45 days (and longer) while the Hazelwood fire burned?"

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Quote to introduce group work task (to be read aloud by teacher)

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Quote to introduce group work task (to be read aloud by teacher)

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“The Hazelwood open-cut coal mine has been on fire for nearly three weeks, filling the air in Morwell with heavy smoke and dust. Although it has made the air quality so bad that people of all ages have gotten sick, had to change their plans and shelter inside, the Government has only now given advice to leave for those able to, and provided via Centrelink some financial assistance to do so. People in the Latrobe Valley feel angry and abandoned, and have called a town hall meeting to answer the question: “How did this happen?”

To get the full answer, they have invited a range of voices: Community leaders, power company representatives, government planners, and the local Member of Parliament (as a representative of the State Government). Using the maps and resources provided, prepare a presentation .”

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"The brown coal deposits in the Latrobe Valley are the largest of their type in the world. They formed over a period of 30 million years as vegetation from luxuriant forests accumulated and decomposed in swamps as the Gippsland Basin subsided. The swamps began to dry about 10 million years ago and were covered by sediments. "

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Learn more about the plants, animals and environments of Victoria over the last 600 million years.

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Australian Energy Infrastructure Interactive Map

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Australian Energy Infrastructure Interactive Map

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http://www.aemo.com.au/aemo/apps/visualisations/map.html

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e.g. Asthma rate per 100:
http://phidu.torrens.edu.au/current/maps/sha-aust/lga-single-map/aust/atlas.html

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Shows town growing then disappearing for mine expansion: http://www.virtualyallourn.com/3D/

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Returning to Nothing - the Meaning of Lost Places by Peter Read

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Returning to Nothing - the Meaning of Lost Places by Peter Read

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“...Remembered with less affection is the deep whine of the power station turbines and the constant rain of coal dust from the factory which turned the pulverised brown coal into briquettes. Almost everyone who lived in the town endured one or the other or both. Most vexing was the dust. Yallourn was affected by two prevailing winds, and when the wind was from the west the town was covered with a fine rain of particles. Forty tons of dust to the square mile translated into ten or twelve bags of coal dust above the ceilings of every house, which SEC workers periodically came to vacuum away. New residents were advised not to touch their washing when it was wet, but to bang it dry before they brought it inside. Most parents became adept at removing specks of coal dust from their children’s eyes and to turn their eyes from their inky bare feet. Day and night, Yallourn residents heard the grind of the dredgers digging out the coal and the whistle of the train taking the coal to the factory and power plant. Every year the sound was a little louder; every year the open cut mine approached the town a little nearer. In the 1930s the SEC had discovered that Yallourn itself was built upon the brown coal seam which gave the town its purpose. Opinion differs on whether from that moment the SEC planned the town’s eventual destruction."

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Feelings about lost or destroyed places rouse our deepest emotions. Losing a home or a suburb or leaving a homeland can be like losing a loved one. This book examines what it means to lose a place forever and why we return, and keep on returning, to these places so large in our memories.

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Mapping Australia: Which areas of Australia have high unemployment rates?

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While the national unemployment rate is not historically high, the jobless rate is certainly higher in some areas of Australia than others.

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Updated September 02, 2014 15:07:44

Conditions in Victoria on Saturday February 9 were the worst they had been since the 2009 Black Saturday fires.

It was hot and windy. Temperatures were around 40C and a strong change brought wind gusts of up to 100kph.

At least 45 homes were lost at Gisborne, Craigieburn and Warrandyte north of Melbourne.

By mid-afternoon 70 fires were burning. At one point there were 16 concurrent emergency warnings in the state.

The fires on Melbourne's fringe area covering 16,000 hectares, which threatened the Bylands, Kilmore and Romsey areas, were the focus of firefighting efforts.

There were emergency warnings for Hiawatha, Jack River and Staceys Bridge south of the Princes Highway.

Those fires were eventually put out and cleaned up, but it was the fire at Morwell in the Hazelwood coal mine that would burn the longest.

The situation in Morwell that Sunday afternoon was confused. Smoke appeared to be surrounding the town.

It was thought to be the fire south of the freeway.

But another fire had flared up at the Maryvale pulp mill.

Fleeing residents were forced to try several exits from town as police blocked roads to the south and west.

It was around this time that fire broke out inside the Hazelwood open cut mine.

By Monday, fire resources were stretched and the seriousness of the mine fire was becoming apparent, specifically the threat to electricity generation.

Within days Deputy Premier Peter Ryan was warning that the fire could burn for weeks.

It was becoming clear just how difficult it would be to put this fire out.

It also became apparent just how poor the air quality was.

The EPA brought in portable equipment to improve air quality testing as local residents began to complain about suffering adverse health effects from the fire.

Residents were warned to stay indoors, if possible, as Fire Services Commissioner Craig Lapsley warned the blaze had the potential to become Victoria's "most significant fire".

Children were bussed to nearby schools so they could safely play outdoors.

A health assessment centre was opened in town to evaluate the health complaints of local residents.

At this point Mr Lapsley acknowledged they were considering evacuating the whole town but had deemed it unnecessary.

But three weeks after the fire started some vulnerable residents were advised to leave town for their own safety.

Pregnant women, children under five, the elderly and those with pre-existing heart or lung complaints were told to leave South Morwell, the suburb closest to the mine.

Local residents were angry at being kept in the dark about the long-term dangers of living with the coal smoke and dust day after day.

While fire crews prayed for rain, continued hot windy weather threatened to jeopardize any gains they made.

Commissioner Lapsley said they were making gains but the weather was conspiring against them.

By March 11 the fire was officially declared under control and by March 25 it was officially declared out, 45 days after starting.

Topics: industrial-fires, fires, disasters-and-accidents, morwell-3840

First posted September 02, 2014 14:55:51

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Updated September 02, 2014 15:07:44 Conditions in Victoria on Saturday February 9 were the worst they had been since the 2009 Black Saturday fires. It was hot and windy. Temperatures were around 40C and a strong change brought wind gusts of up to 100kph.

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Morwell Fire News from TEN, PRIME, NINE, WIN LOCAL, ABC 28/02/2014

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This is a video compilation of all the news reported about the Morwell fire on the 28/02/2014. Major New Items: http://www.recovery.vic.gov.au/hazelwood-open-cut-mine-fire/news/health-advice New health advice for Morwell South residents Victoria's Chief Health Officer, Dr Rosemary Lester, has today advised people aged over 65, pre-school aged children, pregnant women and anyone with a pre-existing heart or lung condition living or working in Morwell South to consider temporary relocation because of the Hazelwood mine fire.

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"Victoria experienced one of its hottest and driest summers on record in 2014. In mid-January 2014, Melbourne endured its most prolonged heatwave since 1908, with four consecutive days over 40°C. Between 7 and 9 February 2014, emergency services and firefighting resources were committed to responding to multiple significant fires across the State and within the Latrobe Valley. The Fire Services Commissioner and the Chief Health Officer made several announcements warning the community about the potential for extreme weather conditions and associated fire and health risks. On 9 February 2014,  the entire State of Victoria was facing the most extreme weather conditions since Black Saturday.

The Hazelwood mine fire that began on 9 February 2014 was the largest and longest burning mine fire that has occurred in the Latrobe Valley to date. The fire was caused by embers spotting into the Hazelwood mine from bushfires burning in close proximity to the mine. The mine fire burned for 45 days. The fire sent smoke and ash over the town of Morwell and surrounding areas for much of that time."

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Hazelwood Mine Fire Inquiry - Hazelwood Mine Fire Inquiry

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The content on this archived website and other document archive pages is provided to assist research and provide a public record of the Hazelwood Mine Fire Inquiry's website. This archived website may contain references to activities or policies that have no current application.

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Coal mine fire continues to blanket Morwell in Victora in toxic smoke

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27/02/14 Coal mine fire continues to blanket Morwell in Victora in toxic smoke

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For 19 days, fire has raged out of control inside an open cut coal mine that supplies one of Victoria's biggest power generators. We speak to the men fighting this horrendous fire.

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Morwell Fire News, Terminally ill from the toxic smoke at the Hazelwood Mine Fire, ABC, 13/08/2015

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Hazelwood mine contractor diagnosed with terminal lung condition after fighting Morwell fire By Gloria Kalache Updated about 4 hours ago http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-13/hazelwood-mine-contractor-has-terminal-lung-condition-doctor-say/6694740 David Briggs, Hazelwood mine contractor PHOTO: Mr Briggs is facing the prospect of needing a lung transplant because his condition will only get worse.

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In Mining the Truth we take a roadtrip with 60 young and inspiring Australians to visit mining communities on Australia's east coast and hear their stories about living with the environmental and social impacts of coal and gas mining.