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Bushfires in Australia

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"Bushfire" redirects here. For general information on uncontrolled fires in non-urban areas, see Wildfire.

Looking towards the town Swifts Creek, Victoria, in December 2006 during the Victorian Alpine Fires
Intense bushfires can seriously impact the environment, such as here by the Big River, near Anglers Rest, East Gippsland, after the 2003 Victorian fires

Bushfires are frequent events during the warmer months of the year, due to Australia's mostly hot, dry climate. Each year, such fires impact extensive areas. On one hand, they can cause property damage and loss of human life. Certain native flora in Australia have evolved to rely on bushfires as a means of reproduction, and fire events are an interwoven and an essential part of the ecology of the continent. For thousands of years, Indigenous Australians have used fire to foster grasslands for hunting and to clear tracks through dense vegetation.

Major firestorms that result in severe loss of life are often named based on the day on which they occur, such as Ash Wednesday and Black Saturday. Some of the most intense, extensive and deadly bushfires commonly occur during droughts and heat waves, such as the 2009 southeastern Australia heat wave, which precipitated the conditions during the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires in which 173 people lost their lives. Other major conflagrations include the 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfires, the 2003 Eastern Victorian alpine bushfires and the 2006 December Bushfires.

In 2013, the non-profit Climate Council reported that global warming is increasing the frequency and severity of bushfires.[1]

Categories

The word "bushfire" builds on the concept of "the bush", referring to sparsely-inhabited regions. Bushfires in Australia are generally defined as uncontrolled, non-structural fires burning in a grass, scrub, bush, or forested area. Australia, being a geographically and meteorogically diverse continent, experiences many types of bushfires. There are two main categories, depending on local topography.

  • Hilly/mountainous fires – burn in hilly, mountainous or alpine areas which are usually densely forested. The land is less accessible and not conducive to agriculture, thus many of these densely forested areas have been saved from deforestation and are protected by national, state and other parks. The steep terrain increases the speed and intensity of a firestorm. Where settlements are located in hilly or mountainous areas, bushfires can pose a threat to both life and property.
  • Flat/grassland fires – burn along flat plains or areas of small undulation, predominantly covered in grasses or scrubland. These fires can move quickly, fanned by high winds in flat topography, and they quickly consume the small amounts of fuel/vegetation available. These fires pose less of a threat to settlements as they rarely reach the same intensity seen in major firestorms as the land is flat, the fires are easier to map and predict, and the terrain is more accessible for firefighting personnel. Many regions of predominantly flat terrain in Australia have been almost completely deforested for agriculture, reducing the fuel loads which would otherwise facilitate fires in these areas.

Common causes of bushfires include lightning, arcing from overhead power lines, arson, accidental ignition in the course of agricultural clearing, grinding and welding activities, campfires, cigarettes and dropped matches, sparks from machinery, and controlled burn escapes.

Looking towards Dargo, Victoria from Swifts Creek, 11 January 2006

History

Epicormic shoots sprouting vigorously from epicormic buds beneath the thick bushfire damaged bark of a Eucalyptus tree – one of the strategies evolved by plants to survive bushfires
Bushfire damage to forests in East Gippsland, Victoria from the Bogong Fire Complex of 2003, two years after fires swept through the area, showing the recovery of trees and undergrowth

The natural fire regime in Australia was altered by the arrival of humans. Fires became more frequent, and fire-loving species—notably eucalypts—greatly expanded their range.[2] It is assumed that a good deal of this change came about as the result of deliberate action by early humans, setting fires to clear undergrowth or drive game.[3]

Plants have evolved a variety of strategies to survive (or even require) bushfires, (possessing epicormic shoots or lignotubers that sprout after a fire, or developing fire-resistant or fire-triggered seeds) or even encourage fire (eucalypts contain flammable oils in the leaves) as a way to eliminate competition from less fire-tolerant species.[4]

Some native animals are also adept at surviving bushfires.[5]

Warnings

In 2009, a standardised Fire Danger Rating (FDR) was adopted by all Australian states. During the fire season the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) provides fire weather forecasts and by considering the predicted weather including temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and dryness of vegetation, fire agencies determine the appropriate Fire Danger Rating.[6] In 2010, following a national review of the bush fire danger ratings, new trigger points for each rating were introduced for grassland areas in most jurisdictions. See for example the following glossary[7]

Fire Danger Ratings are a feature of weather forecasts and alert the community to the actions they should take in preparation of the day. Ratings are broadcast via newspapers, radio, TV, and the internet.

Fire Danger Rating
Category Fire Danger Index
Catastrophic / Code Red Forest 100+ Grass 150+
Extreme Forest 75–100 Grass 100–150
Severe Forest 50–75 Grass 50–100
Very high 25–50
High 12–25
Low to moderate 0–12

Regional management

The Australasian Fire Authorities Council (AFAC) is the peak body responsible for representing fire, emergency services and land management agencies in the Australasian region.

Queensland

The Rural Fire Service (RFS) is a volunteer-based firefighting agency and operates as part of the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services.[8]

New South Wales

The New South Wales Rural Fire Service (RFS) is a volunteer-based firefighting agency and statutory body of the Government of New South Wales.[9]

South Australia

The Country Fire Service is a volunteer based fire service in the state of South Australia. The CFS operates as a part of the South Australian Fire and Emergency Services Commission (SAFECOM).

Victoria

Major bushfires in Victoria in the 2000s
Main article: Bushfires in Victoria

In Victoria, the Country Fire Authority (CFA) provides firefighting and other emergency services to country areas and regional townships within the state, as well as large portions of the outer suburban areas and growth corridors of Melbourne not covered by the Metropolitan Fire Brigade.[10]

Responsibility for fire suppression and management, including planned burning on public land such as State Forests and National Parks, which makes up about 7.1 million hectares or about one third of the State, sits with the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP).

Western Australia

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services of Western Australia (DFES) and the Department of Parks and Wildlife (P&W) have joint responsibility for bushfire management in Western Australia.[11] DFES is an umbrella organisation supporting the Bush Fire Brigade volunteers, Emergency Services Cadets, Fire and Rescue Service, State Emergency Service, Volunteer Emergency Service, Volunteer Fire Service, Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service, and the Volunteer Marine Rescue Services.

Tasmania

The Tasmania Fire Service manages bushfires in Tasmania with the help of Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service and Forestry Tasmania.[12][13]

Guidelines for survival

Local authorities provide education and information for residents in bushfire-prone regions regarding the location of current fires,[14] preservation of life and property[15] and when to escape by car.[16]

Seasonality

Bushfires in Australia can occur all year-round, though the severity and the "bushfire season" varies by region.[17] These seasons are commonly grouped into years such as "2006-07 Australian bushfire season" and typically run from June one year until May the next year.

In southeast Australia, bushfires tend to be most common and most severe during summer and autumn (December–March), in drought years, and particularly severe in El Niño years. Southeast Australia is fire-prone, and warm and dry conditions intensify the probability of fire.[18] In northern Australia, bushfires usually occur during the dry season (April to September),[19] and fire severity tends to be more associated with seasonal weather patterns. In the southwest, similarly, bushfires occur in the summer dry season and severity is usually related to seasonal growth. Fire frequency in the north is difficult to assess, as the vast majority of fires are caused by human activity, however lightning strikes are as common a cause as human-ignited fires and arson.

Climate change

Australia's climate has been trending toward more bushfire weather over the last 30 years.[20] The Climate Commission found that "The intensity and seasonality of large bushfires in south-east Australia appears to be changing, with climate change a possible contributing factor."[21]

A 2006 report by the Bushfire CRC acknowledges the complexity of climate predictions pointing out "Much of [Australia's] vegetation has a complex evolutionary and dependent relationship with fire. Fire has been part of these environments for tens of thousands of years and much native flora and fauna remains dependent on it in various ways."[22] In 2007, a study by the CSIRO (the national government body for scientific research in Australia), found evidence that climate change will lead to increases in very high and extreme fire danger rating days and earlier onset of the fire season.[23] Other studies investigating the historical record identify significant changes in Australia's bushfire season as a result of human activity.[24]

Major bushfires in Australia

Bushfires have accounted for over 800 deaths in Australia since 1851 and the total accumulated cost is estimated at $1.6 billion.[25] In terms of monetary cost however, they rate behind the damage caused by drought, severe storms, hail, and cyclones,[26] perhaps because they most commonly occur outside highly populated urban areas.

Some of the most severe Australian bushfires, in chronological order, have included:

See also

References

  1. ^ Milman, Oliver (24 October 2013). "Climate Council finds 'clear link' between bjjidjsndhyxjznxhxuchange". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 October 2013."There is a “clear link” between climate change and bushfires, with the current New South Wales fires influenced by a rising frequency of hot, dry days, according to the climate body that had its funding withdrawn by the Coalition government. * * * The Climate Council’s interim findings, drawn from 60 peer-reviewed studies, show climate change is influencing the number of extremely warm days in Australia, as well as prolonged periods of low rainfall."
  2. ^ Flannery, T. (1994) "The future eaters" Reed Books Melbourne.
  3. ^ Wilson, B., S. Boulter, et al. (2000). Queensland's resources. Native Vegetation Management in Queensland. S. L. Boulter, B. A. Wilson, J. Westrupet eds. Brisbane, Department of Natural Resources.
  4. ^ White, M. E. 1986. The Greening of Gondwana. Reed Books, Frenchs Forest, Australia.
  5. ^ Effects of fire on plants and animals "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 30 January 2011. Retrieved 27 December 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link). Retrieved June 2012
  6. ^ "New Warning System Explained". Country Fire Authority. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
  7. ^ Country Fire service of South Australia website http://www.cfs.sa.gov.au/site/home/cfs_glossary.jsp. Retrieved September 2011
  8. ^ "Rural Fire Service Queensland".
  9. ^ "NSW Rural Fire Service". New South Wales Government. Retrieved 30 October 2010.
  10. ^ "Country Fire Authority". Retrieved 30 October 2010.
  11. ^ "Welcome to DFES". Department of Fire and Emergency Services of Western Australia. Retrieved 30 October 2010.
  12. ^ "About TFS". Tasmania Fire Service. 2019.
  13. ^ 2013 Tasmanian Bushfires Inquiry: Volume 1 (PDF) (Report). ISBN 978-0-9923581-0-5.
  14. ^ "NSW Current Fires". NSW Rural Fire Service.
  15. ^ "How to survive a bushfire" (PDF). NSW Rural Fire Service. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  16. ^ "Driving in a bushfire". Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  17. ^ Luke RH, McArthur AG (1978). Bushfires in Australia. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service.
  18. ^ Sullivan, Rohan (11 February 2009). "Hot and dry Australia sees wildfire danger rise". The Association Press. Retrieved 13 February 2009.
  19. ^ "Monsoonal Climate". Questacon. Archived from the original on 20 March 2012. Retrieved 9 September 2006.
  20. ^ "Bushfire weather in Southeast Australia: Media Brief", The Climate Institute, 26 September 2007. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
  21. ^ "The Critical Decade: Climate science, risks and responses" Archived 24 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine, The Climate Commission, 2011. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  22. ^ "CLIMATE CHANGE AND ITS IMPACT ON THE MANAGEMENT OF BUSHFIRE" (PDF). Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre. September 2006. p. 4. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
  23. ^ CSIRO (2007). "Bushfire Weather in Southeast Australia Recent Trends and Projected Climate Change Impacts". Retrieved 25 October 2013.
  24. ^ Jones, Roger. "Fire and climate change: don't expect a smooth ride". The Conversation. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
  25. ^ "Summary of Major Bush Fires in Australia Since 1851". Romsey Australia. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
  26. ^ "EMA Disasters Database". Emergency management Australia. Archived from the original on 18 November 2010. Retrieved 30 October 2010.
  27. ^ Black Thursday Archived 13 November 2010 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 10 February 2009.
  28. ^ a b c d e ABS 1301.0 – Year Book Australia, 2004. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 24 March 2006. Retrieved 10 February 2009
  29. ^ a b c "Major bushfires in Victoria". Department of Sustainability and Environment. Archived from the original on 2 September 2006. Retrieved 15 February 2009.
  30. ^ "Chisholm, Alec H.". The Australian Encyclopaedia. Vol. 2. Sydney: Halstead Press. 1963. p. 207. Bushfires.
  31. ^ Matthews, H (2011) Karridale Bush Fires 1961, Karridale Progress Association Inc. ISBN 978-0-9871467-0-0
  32. ^ Victoria, Forest Fire Management (10 January 2019). "Past bushfires". Forest Fire Management Victoria. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  33. ^ a b "The Sydney Morning Herald from Sydney, New South Wales". Newspapers.com. 21 December 1974. p. 1. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  34. ^ a b c d e f Mac Dougall, I D (2003). "A National User-Driven approach towards a coordinated Fire Research Program" (PDF). The Australian Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre Program. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 February 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  35. ^ a b c d e f "Bush Fires / Wild Fires - Australian Bushfire History". australiasevereweather.com. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  36. ^ a b c d e "Our Service's story" (PDF). NSW RFS Bush Fire Bulletin Souvenir Liftout 2010 Part Two. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  37. ^ a b Ellis, Kanowski & Whelan (2004). COAG National Inquiry on Bushfire Mitigation and Management (PDF). Commonwealth of Australia. p. 341.
  38. ^ a b 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission Final Report (PDF). Parliament of Victoria. 2010. p. 347. ISBN 978-0-9807408-1-3.
  39. ^ a b "Bushfires in NSW: timelines and key sources" (PDF). NSW Parliament Issues Backgrounder Number 6. NSW Parliamentary Research Service. June 2014.
  40. ^ "Bushfire – Sydney and Region:1 December 1979". Attorney-General's Department (Australia). Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
  41. ^ "1979 – 1980, Sydney and Region bushfire". Ministry for Police and Emergency Services. 18 September 2007. Archived from the original on 23 October 2013. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
  42. ^ Mutton, Sheree (9 January 2014). "Shire fire horror still lingers 20 years on". St George & Sutherland Shire Leader. Fairfax Regional Media. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  43. ^ "Bushfires – Get the Facts Archived 16 January 2013 at the Wayback Machine". Attorney-General's Department. Retrieved 9 January 2013
  44. ^ a b c Norther Daily Leader, "Some past bushfires in Australia", p.3, 10 February 2009
  45. ^ "Bushfire threat eases in NSW". The Sydney Morning Herald. 4 January 2006. Retrieved 20 March 2009.
  46. ^ "Generous support coming in for farmers affected by bushfires". NSW Department of Primary Industries. New South Wales Government. 6 January 2006. Archived from the original on 18 September 2007. Retrieved 20 March 2009.
  47. ^ http://home.iprimus.com.au/foo7/firesum.html
  48. ^ Kennedy, Les; David Braithwaite; Edmund Tadros (22 November 2006). "Man dies as early bushfire season grips NSW". The Age. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  49. ^ "Report on the Tasmanian East Coast Fires: Community Recovery" (PDF). bodc.tas.gov.au. Australian Red Cross. p. 10. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 March 2015. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  50. ^ "Authorities investigate forestry worker's death". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 14 January 2007. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  51. ^ Morton, Adam; Orietta Guerrera; Bridie Smith (15 December 2006). "Bushfires claim first life". The Age. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  52. ^ Switzer, Renee (18 January 2007). "One dead in SA bushfire". The Age. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  53. ^ "Body found in fire wreckage". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 18 January 2007. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
  54. ^ "Woman fleeing bushfire burnt to death". Sydney Morning Herald. AAP. 3 February 2007. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  55. ^ "Rain could help damp down WA bushfires". ABC News. 25 November 2011. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  56. ^ Van de Wetering, Jodie (11 March 2013). "A timeline of the Coonabarabran bushfires". ABC (Western Plains). Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  57. ^ "Update – Damage assessment and fire investigation" (PDF) (Press release). New South Wales Rural Fire Service. 19 October 2013. Retrieved 22 October 2013.[permanent dead link]
  58. ^ "Watch and Act – Linksview Road Fire, Springwood (Blue Mountains) 19/10/13 11:40". NSW Rural Fire Service. 19 October 2013. Retrieved 19 October 2013.
  59. ^ Madden, James. "Firestorm destroys NSW communities as hundreds of homes could be lost". The Australian. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
  60. ^ http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/esperance-bushfire-flares-up-again--and-more-lightning-could-be-on-the-way-20151121-gl4ho8.html
  61. ^ Taylor, Roxanne; Powell, Graeme (18 November 2015). "German backpackers, farmer believed dead in Esperance fires". ABC News. ABC. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  62. ^ Fergusson, Euan: Report of the Special Inquiry into the January 2016 Waroona Fire ("Reframing Rural Fire Management"), Government of Western Australia, Volume 1: Report, 29 April 2016.
  63. ^ "35 homes razed in NSW blazes: RFS". SBS News. SBS. 15 February 2017. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
  64. ^ Le Lievre, Kimberley; Groch, Sherryn; Brown, Andrew (18 February 2017). "Police investigate blaze near Queanbeyan as fire crews battle on". The Canberra Times. Archived from the original on 21 February 2017. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  65. ^ "Bushfire in Tathra wipes out 69 homes, residents still unable to return to NSW south coast town". ABC. 19 March 2018. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
  66. ^ "Update on Northern NSW bush fires". NSW RURAL FIRE SERVICE. 11 October 2019. Retrieved 10 November 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  67. ^ "MEDIA RELEASE Property losses from recent NSW bush fires 17 September 2019" (PDF). NSW RURAL FIRE SERVICE.
  68. ^ "Initial Assessment of Fire Affected Areas - 9 September". rfs.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
  69. ^ "Latest News - NSW Police Public Site". police.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bushfires in Australia.
Fire State(s) /
Territories		 Approximate area burned Date Fatalities Properties damaged Notes
ha acres
Black Thursday bushfires Victoria 5,000,000 12,000,000 6 February 1851 about 12 1 million sheep; thousands of cattle [27][28]
Red Tuesday bushfires Victoria 260,000 640,000 1 February 1898 12 2,000 buildings [28]
1926 bushfires Victoria February – March 1926 60 1,000 [29]
Black Friday bushfires Victoria 2,000,000 4,900,000 December 1938 – January 1939, peaking 13 January 1939 71 3,700
1944 bushfires Victoria 1,000,000 2,500,000 14 January – 14 February 1944 15–20 more than 500 houses [28]
Woodford/Springwood Bushfire 1944, Blue Mountains New South Wales 18 November 1944 Nil 27 homes
1951 – 52 bushfires Victoria Summer 1951 – 52 at least 10 [30]
Black Sunday bushfires South Australia 39,000–160,000 96,000–395,000 2 January 1955 2 40 dwellings including the Governor's summer residence at Marble Hill
Grose valley bushfire, Blue Mountains 1957 New South Wales 30 November 1957 4 Nil 4 boys were killed on a bush walk out to Perrys look down 5 others survived, the leader of the group got help at Blackheath
1957 Leura bushfire, Blue Mountains New South Wales 2 December 1957 Nil 170 homes in parts of Katoomba, Leura and Wentworthfalls One building that was destroyed was the Chateau Napier
1961 Western Australian bushfires Western Australia 1,800,000 4,400,000 January – March 1961 Nil 160 homes [31]
1962 bushfires Victoria 14 – 16 January 1962 32 450 houses [29]
1965 Gippsland bushfires Victoria 315,000 21 Feb - 13 March 1965 Nil 60 buildings, 4000 stock [32]
Southern Highlands bushfires New South Wales 5 – 14 March 1965 3 59 homes
Tasmanian "Black Tuesday" bushfires Tasmania 264,000 650,000 7 February 1967 62 1,293 homes [28]
Dandenong Ranges bushfire Victoria 1,920 4,700 19 February 1968 53 homes; 10 other buildings
1968 Blue Mountains Bushfire New South Wales 29 November 1968 4 over 120 homes
1969 bushfires Victoria 8 January 1969 23 230 houses [29]
1974 Moolah-Corinya bushfires, Far West NSW New South Wales 1,117,000 2,760,000 Mid December 1974 3 40 homes, 10,170 kilometres (6,320 mi) of fencing, 50,000 livestock [33][34][35][36]
1974 Cobar bushfire New South Wales 1,500,000 3,700,000 Mid December 1974 [33][34][35][36]
1974 Balranald bushfire New South Wales 340,000 840,000 Mid December 1974 [34][35][36]
1974/75 New South Wales bushfires New South Wales 4,500,000 11,000,000 1974/1975 season 6 [37][38][39]
Western Districts bushfires Victoria 103,000 250,000 12 February 1977 4 116 houses, 340 buildings
Blue Mountains Fires 1977 New South Wales 54,000 130,000 December 17th 1977 2 49 houses
1978 Western Australian bushfires Western Australia 114,000 280,000 4 April 1978 2 6 buildings (drop in wind in early evening is said to have saved the towns of Donnybrook, Boyup Brook, Manjimup, and Bridgetown.)
1979 Sydney bushfires New South Wales December 1979 5 28 homes destroyed, 20 homes damaged [40]
1980 Waterfall bushfire New South Wales 1,000,000 2,500,000 3 November 1980 5 firefighters 14 homes [41]
Grays Point bushfire New South Wales 9 January 1983 3 volunteer firefighters [42]
Ash Wednesday bushfires
  • South Australia
  • Victoria
 418,000 1,030,000 16 February 1983 75 about 2,400 houses
1984 Western New South Wales grasslands bushfires New South Wales 500,000 1,200,000 25 December 1984 40,000 livestock, $40 million damage [34][35][36]
1985 Cobar bushfire New South Wales 516,000 1,280,000 Mid January 1985 Nil [34][35]
1984/85 New South Wales bushfires New South Wales 3,500,000 8,600,000 1984/1985 season 5 [34][35][36][37][38][39]
Central Victoria bushfires Victoria 50,800 126,000 14 January 1985 3 180+ houses
1994 Eastern seaboard fires New South Wales 400,000 990,000 27 December 1993 – 16 January 1994 4 225 homes [43]
Wooroloo bushfire Western Australia 10,500 26,000 8 January 1997 Nil 16 homes
Dandenongs bushfire Victoria 400 990 21 January 1997 3 41 homes [44]
Lithgow bushfire New South Wales 2 December 1997 2 [44]
Perth and SW Region bushfires Western Australia 23,000 57,000 2 December 1997 2 1 home lost
Linton bushfire Victoria 2 December 1998 5
Black Christmas bushfires New South Wales 300,000 740,000 25 December 2001 – 2002 Nil 121 homes
2003 Canberra bushfires Australian Capital Territory 160,000 400,000 18 – 22 January 2003 4 almost 500 homes [28][44]
2003 Eastern Victorian alpine bushfires Victoria 1,300,000 3,200,000 8 January – 8 March 2003 3 41 homes
Tenterden Western Australia 2,110,000 5,200,000 December 2003 2 [citation needed]
2005 Eyre Peninsula bushfire South Australia 77,964 192,650 10 – 12 January 2005 9 93 homes
2006 Central Coast bushfire New South Wales New Years Day, 2006
Jail Break Inn Fire, Junee New South Wales 30,000 74,000 New Years Day 2006 Nil Livestock losses estimated to be over 20,000. Seven homes, seven headers and four shearing sheds destroyed. 1,500 kilometres (930 mi) of fencing damaged. [45][46]
2005 Victorian bushfires Victoria 160,000 400,000 December 2005 – January 2006 4 57 houses, 359 farm buildings, 65,000 stock losses, fires occurred in the Stawell, Moondarra, Anakie, Yea, and Kinglake regions. [47]
Grampians bushfire Victoria 184,000 450,000 January 2006 2
Pulletop bushfire, Wagga Wagga New South Wales 9,000 22,000 6 February 2006 Nil 2,500 sheep and 6 cattle killed, 3 vehicles and 2 hay sheds destroyed as well as 50 kilometres (31 mi) of fencing.
The Great Divides bushfire Victoria 1,048,000 2,590,000 1 December 2006 – March 2007 1 51 homes
2006 – 07 Australian bushfire season
  • New South Wales
  • South Australia
  • Tasmania
  • Victoria
  • Western Australia
 1,360,000 3,400,000 September 2006 – January 2007 5 Over 100 structures including 83 houses; numerous non-residential structures [48][49][50][51][52][53][54]
Dwellingup bushfire Western Australia 12,000 30,000 4 February 2007 Nil 16
Kangaroo Island bushfires South Australia 95,000 230,000 6 – 14 December 2007 1
Boorabbin National Park Western Australia 40,000 99,000 30 December 2007 3 Powerlines and Great Eastern Highway, forced to close for 2 weeks.
Black Saturday bushfires Victoria 450,000 1,100,000 7 February 2009 – 14 March 2009 173 2,029+ houses, 2,000 other structures.
Toodyay bushfire Western Australia 3,000 7,400 29 December 2009 Nil 38
Lake Clifton bushfire Western Australia 2,000 4,900 11 January 2011 Nil 10 homes destroyed.
Roleystone Kelmscott bushfire Western Australia 1,500 3,700 6 – 8 February 2011 Nil 72 homes destroyed, 32 damaged, Buckingham Bridge on Brookton Highway collapsed and closed for 3 weeks whilst a temporary bridge was constructed and opened a month after the fires.
Margaret River bushfire Western Australia 4,000 9,900 24 November 2011 Nil 34 homes destroyed including the historic Wallcliffe House. [55]
Tasmanian Bushfires Tasmania 20,000 49,000 4 January 2013 1 At least 170 buildings
Warrumbungle bushfire New South Wales 54,000 130,000 18 January 2013 Nil At least 53 homes, 118 sheds, agricultural machinery and livestock. Infrastructure destroyed at Siding Spring Observatory. [56]
2013 New South Wales bushfires New South Wales 100,000 250,000 17 October – 28 October 1 As of 19 October 2013 at least 248 buildings destroyed statewide (inc. 208 dwellings), another 109 damaged in Springwood, Winmalee and Yellow Rock. Major fires also occurred in the Hunter, Central Coast, Macarthur and Port Stephens regions causing significant damage. [57][58][59]
Carnarvon bushfire complex Western Australia 800,000 2,000,000 27 December 2011 – 3 February 2012 Nil 11 pastoral stations (fences, watering systems, water points, stock feed).
2014 Parkerville bushfire Western Australia 386 950 12 January 2014 Nil 56 homes.
2015 Sampson Flat bushfires South Australia 20,000 49,000 2–9 January 2015 Nil 27 homes, 140 outbuildings
2015 O'Sullivan bushfire (Northcliffe - Windy Harbour) Western Australia 98,923 244,440 29 January – 20 February 2015 Nil 1 home and 1 inhabited shed, 5 farm sheds and thousands of hectares of production forests (karri and jarrah) or national parks.
2015 Lower Hotham bushfire (Boddington) Western Australia 52,373 129,420 January 2015 Nil 1 house, 1 farm shed, 1 bridge and thousands of hectares of production forest (jarrah) or national parks.
2015 Esperance bushfires Western Australia 200,000 490,000 October – November 2015 4 About 10 houses and public buildings (Scaddan), 15,000 stock losses, 5 Nature Reserves et most area of Cape Arid national park. [60][61]
Perth Hills bushfire complex - Solus Group Western Australia 10,016 24,750 15 – 24 November 2015 Nil Jarrah production forest and Conservation Park.
2015 Pinery bushfire South Australia 85,000 210,000 25 November – 2 December 2015 2 91 dwellings.
2016 Murray Road bushfire (Waroona and Harvey) Western Australia 69,165 170,910 January 2016 2 181 dwellings (166 only in Yarloop), historical Yarloop Workshops and thousands of hectares of Lane Poole Reserve and production forest (jarrah). [62]
2017 New South Wales bushfires New South Wales 52,000 130,000 11 – 14 February 2017 Nil 35 dwellings. [63]
2017 Carwoola bushfire New South Wales 3,500 8,600 17 – 18 February 2017 Nil 11 dwellings destroyed; 12 damaged. [64]
2018 Tathra bushfire New South Wales 1,200 3,000 18 – 19 March 2018 Nil 69 houses and 30 caravans/cabins destroyed; 39 damaged. [65]
Tabulum Bush fire, Northern NSW 2019 New South Wales 4,000 9,900 early February 2019 Nil 10 homes and 23 outbuildings destroyed.
Tingha Bush fire, Northern NSW 2019 New South Wales 17,000 42,000 early February 2019 Nil 8 homes and 18 outbuildings destroyed.
2019 New South Wales bushfires New South Wales| 1,000,000 2,500,000 5 September 2019 – present 5 over 260 homes destroyed. (as of 11 November) [66][67][68][69]
2019 Queensland bushfires New South Wales

style="text-align:right;"|100,000

250,000 5 September 2019 – present nil over (dozens) of homes destroyed. (as of 11 November)
Personnel and organization
Facilities
Apparatus
Equipment
Terminology
Miscellaneous
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Lists
See also
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