australia:camping_risks
risk management when camping
Introduction
The human factor
is it legal?
lack of preparation, knowledge and understanding
risky behaviours
being foolish is not really a great option
being drunk or drug affected seriously raises the risk of harm:
falling into fires
failing to do safety checks for gas BBQs before lighting them
falling asleep with unattended fires
other injuries due to falls, etc
aggression and violence risk, esp. when everyone is cranky and intolerant with short tempers on extreme hot weather days
leaving camp fires unattended or lighting them on Total Fire Ban days:
stubborness in the face of danger
yes, we have all been there - put a lot of energy into planning and preparations, taken time off work, and then then weather forecast turns sour - do we or do we not cancel or at least change destination plans
in June 2021, a Low pressure system brought over 200m rain and very strong winds to Victoria's alpine region blowing over perhaps hundreds of thousands of tall mountain gums and pines, not only destroying over 100 houses but damaging access roads which were blocked by the massive gums and knocked out regional water, electricity supplies and mobile phone towers for over a month - obviously even if you did survive in your tent because you chose a sheltered location away from falling trees, strong winds, flooding and landslides you were not going to be getting out of there for a long time and you were not going to be able to call for help so easily. If bad weather is predicted - cancel your plans!
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accidental harm from third parties
malevalence
the main crime issue in camp grounds is petty theft and break and enter crimes
there will always be those who seek to take advantage of vulnerability or opportunity for theft and complacency of campers is a major contributor to risk of petty theft
fortunately major crimes at camp grounds are rare in Australia
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The weather
alpine influences
if air is well mixed (as in windy conditions), the air temperature decreases with increasing altitude at a rate of 0.6–1.0°C per 100 m for humid air, and about 1.0°C per 100 m for dry air.
moist air masses hitting a steep mountain will be pushed upwards resulting in cloud and rain on that side of the mountain and warmer drier air over the other side of the mountain
the reduced friction at high elevations means winds are stronger and more steady - the wind speed on open land above 1000 m is 2-2.5x stronger than on low-lying land.
sunlight at 1200m has twice the UV radiation as at sea level
convection lightning storms
being caught outdoors in a storm is dangerous and these can occur quite quickly without much warning and are especially a risk in alpine areas where the harm can be much greater
may occur in fair weather days in the late afternoon or evening following convective columns over hot land
may occur preceding cold fronts
are common in association with low pressure systems and humid weather
sound of the thunder travels 1 km in 3 seconds
risks:
lightning
in summer this will also create a bush fire risk
when the time between lightning and thunder is less than 30secs (ie. storm is less than 10km away), you become at risk of being hit by lightning
hail - if large enough, can easily compromise your shelter and risk physical injury
flash flooding - especially in valleys and risk of land slides
gale force winds
likely to compromise your shelter and break tent poles
high risk of injury from falling trees or branches or flying debris
will significantly increase risk of hypothermia due to wind chill
high chance that fallen trees will block your routes out of the camp ground as well as damage local power and mobile phone infrastructure - often for weeks!
rain will risk you and your gear getting wet and risk severe hypothermia
rarely a tornado may form
in May 2021, 28 of 172 ultramarathon runners died and 8 others were injured in China when a freak storm hit with high winds and freezing rains causing severe hypothermia whilst they were running across the mountain trek, some wearing only T shirts and shorts. Many lost their way due to poor visibility.
risk mitigation
cold fronts
these are usually predictable a few days ahead thanks to the weather bureau and by the presence of high cirrus clouds forming well ahead of the front or high flying aircraft leaving long-lasting contrails in the air which indicates relatively high levels of moisture.
may be preceded by very strong winds and thunderstorms and the rare tornado
are followed by cold air masses, clear skies (add to cold night risk) with frequent periods of rain showers
at elevations above 900m may result in snow falling especially if the air mass is polar maritime rather than southern ocean maritime
hypothermia is a major risk especially at higher elevations
faster moving type a cold fronts generate powerful cumulonimbus storm cloud systems ahead of the front
slower moving type b cold fronts generate a larger altostratus and nimbostratus cloud covering a wide area ahead of the front and producing a longer period of rainfall after the front has passed
risk mitigation
low pressure systems
these are predictable in advance by a few days and generally cause prolonged heavy rain periods often lasting 24-72hrs and flooding often with periods of strong winds which are likely to blow down even the biggest gum trees which will cause road access issues as well as knock out regional power, internet, mobile phones and water for weeks
may be associated with frequent thunderstorm activity
of course in the tropics these may form or come from cyclones which are certainly not a time to go camping!
risk mitigation
see as for storms
be aware that roads and tracks may become impassable for a few weeks
land slides may be an issue
ensure you take extra steps to keep your gear dry as it is unlikely to dry out for several days
really hot days 35-45deg C
dehydration, UV burns, hyperthermia and confusion are all high risks and death can come quickly for the unprepared
bushfires are a major risk, especially if there is also a forecast of thunderstorms
risk mitigation
do not hike in bushfire prone regions on Extreme bushfire risk days
avoid hiking on very hot days but if you must, then take plenty of water - much more than usual, wear protective sun cover clothing and regularly drink as much water as possible
very cold nights
this is mainly an issue in inland areas, in valleys, or in alpine areas, particularly when there are clear skies with little wind which allows the local ground to become colder
risk mitigation
Animal life
the most common issue is that of insects - mosquitoes, sand flies, bull ants
these are largely mitigated by no-see-um mesh in modern tents
mosquito bites and the risk of infections such as Ross River virus, Japanese encephaitis virus, etc can be further reduced by:
ticks while walking can be an issue on the eastern coastline in particular
leeches can be an annoyance walking in rainforests
venomous snakes are common but usually only a danger if one does not see them whilst walking and steps on or near them. or is stupid enough to try to catch them without training
rodents, wombats and other animals, and even occasionally, large bullants, may create a hole in a tent if they smell food or other smelly things (including perfume, smelly socks or backpacks inside)
in the tropics, crocodiles can be an issue if camping close to water
Trees and other plants
sudden limb drop
some trees, in particular, some species of Eucalyptus such as red gum and yellow box have a potentially lethal and silent habit of suddenly dropping large branches without warning even when there is no wind
general advice is not to camp under large branches of such trees
risk is perhaps 1-2% per annum for such trees with branches 10-30cm in diameter
mainly occurs in summer, especially after a drought
thus if one assumes risk is around 1% over 3-4 months then the risk of branch falling whilst camping overnight in summer is perhaps of the order of 1 in 20,000 per night camping under such a branch. Risk may be significantly higher in periods of high winds.
stinging plants
Additional factors taking young and even not so young kids
will they drown if not closely watched?
will they wander off and get lost?
will they get hit by a car?
are the fences to stop wandering onto main roads, etc?
is there adequate traffic management within the camp ground?
is there phone reception in case they get into trouble?
are there likely to be bad humans around?
are there likely to be snakes in the camp ground
australia/camping_risks.txt · Last modified: 2022/04/21 08:53 by gary1