List of Australian bushfire seasons

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This is a list of specific seasons of bushfires in Australia including some significant bushfire events from each season. Events are listed if they cause fatalities, destroy houses, or burn more than 100,000 hectares (250,000 acres) of land. Each season begins in June (the beginning of the Australian winter) and runs through the following May (the end of the Australian autumn).

2010s

• 2015–16 Australian bushfire season
• 2014–15 Australian bushfire season

• 75,000 hectares (190,000 acres) burned over twelve days in September and threatened the town of Tom Price and the western portion of Karijini National Park in Western Australia^[1][2]
• 1 farmer killed and two firefighters injured on 1 November while fighting a fire about 100 kilometres (62 mi) north of Adelaide in South Australia. The fire burnt out about 1,800 hectares (4,448 acres) of grassland^[3]
• 2015 Sampson Flat bushfires: 32 houses lost, 125 outbuildings^[4][5]

• 2013–14 Australian bushfire season: 335 buildings lost, 3 fatalities

• 2013 New South Wales bushfires: 208 houses lost, 2 fatalities, 86,000 hectares (210,000 acres) bushland burnt including parts of the World Heritage–listed Greater Blue Mountains^[6][7][8]
• 52 houses lost and 1 fatality on 12–13 January in the Perth Hills around Parkerville, Stoneville and Mount Helena.^[9]
• 32 houses lost on 15-20 January around the northern Grampians in western Victoria^[10]
• 15 houses lost on 17-19 January in the Barossa Valley and Flinders Ranges in South Australia.^[11]

• 2012–13 Australian bushfire season: 314 buildings lost, 4 fatalities

• 7 houses lost on 11 November at Tulka near Port Lincoln, South Australia^[12]
• Several properties lost from 8–10 December at Myora Springs, Stradbroke Island, Queensland^[13]
• 2013 Tasmanian bushfires: 203 houses lost and 1 fatality from 3–5 January in Dunally, Boomer Bay, Bicheno, Sommers Bay, and Copping^[14][15][16]
• 1 house lost on 9 January at Jugiong in New South Wales^[17]
• 9 houses lost on 8 January at Snake Valley, Chepstowe and Carngham in Victoria^[18][19]
• 51 houses lost from 13–17 January from a fire in the Warrumbungle National Park west of Coonabarabran, New South Wales^[20]
• 22 houses lost and 1 fatality from 17–18 January in bushfires affecting Coongulla, Glenmaggie, Heyfield, Newry and Seaton in Victoria^[21][21]
• 2 firefighters killed by a falling tree on 13 February fighting a fire near Harrietville^[22]
• 4 houses lost and 1 fatality during February in fires affecting Esperance,^[23] Boddington^[24] and Bridgetown^[25] in Western Australia
• 16 houses lost on 27 March at Dereel in Victoria^[26]
• 1 house lost on 9 May near Cherryville in South Australia^[27]

• 2011–12 Australian bushfire season: 32 houses lost

• 32 houses lost on 23–26 November near Margaret River in Western Australia^[28]

• 2010–11 Australian bushfire season: 83 houses lost

• 10 houses lost on 10–12 January at Lake Clifton in Western Australia^[29]
• 2 houses lost on 1–3 February in Gippsland, Victoria^[30]
• 71 houses lost on 5–7 February near Roleystone and Kelmscott in Western Australia^[31]

2000s

• 2009–10 Australian bushfire season: at least 57 houses lost, 2 fatalities

• 5 houses lost during November near Swansea and St Helens in Tasmania
• A park ranger died in a helicopter crash on 9 December in the Dorrigo National Park in New South Wales
• 9 houses lost on 17 December at Gerogery, Tooma and Michelago in New South Wales^[32]
• 6 houses lost on 23 December at Port Lincoln in South Australia^[33]
• 37 houses lost on 29 December near Toodyay in Western Australia^[34]
• A firefighter killed in a vehicle accident on 10 January near Tatong on the way to a fire near Mansfield in Victoria.^[35]

• 2008–09 Australian bushfire season: 2,060 houses lost, 173 fatalities

• 2 houses lost on 13 January at Port Lincoln in South Australia^[36]
• 31 houses lost from 30 January to 1 February at Yinnar, Boolarra and Mirboo North in Victoria^[37]
• Black Saturday bushfires: 173 fatalities, 2,056 houses lost and 239,637 hectares (592,160 acres) burned on 7 February at numerous locations in Victoria^[38]

• 2007–08 Australian bushfire season: 1 house lost. 3 fatalities

• 3 firefighters killed on 30 December at Boorabbin National Park in Western Australia^[39]
• One house lost on 10 January in the Kangarilla and Echunga area of South Australia^[40]

• 2006–07 Australian bushfire season: 63 houses lost, 1 fatality

• 7 houses lost on 24 September at Picton, Thirlmere and Oakdale in New South Wales
• 33 houses lost, 1 fatality and 1,154,828 hectares (2,853,640 acres) burnt in the Great Divide fire complex from 1 December 2006 to 7 February 2007 across alpine Victoria^[38]
• 22 houses lost on 11–14 December at Scamander and Four Mile Creek in Tasmania
• 1 house lost on 12 December at Kalamunda in Western Australia

• 2005–06 Australian bushfire season: 54 houses lost, 2 fatalities

• Jail Break Inn Fire: 10 houses lost on 1 January near Junee in New South Wales^[41]
• 3 houses lost on 1 January near Gosford in New South Wales^[41]
• Mount Lubra bushfire: 41 houses lost, 2 fatalities and 116,380 hectares (287,600 acres) burned from 19 January around the Grampians National Park in Victoria^[38]
• 16 houses lost and 2 fatalities from other fires during January in Victoria^[42]

• 2004–05 Australian bushfire season: 93 houses lost, 9 fatalities

• Eyre Peninsula bushfire: 93 houses lost and 9 fatalities on 11 January on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia^[40]

• 2002–03 Australian bushfire season: at least 549 houses lost, 5 fatalities

• 1 fatality and 10 houses lost from 16-29 October near Toowoomba in Queensland^[43]
• 10 houses lost on 9 October at Engadine in New South Wales^[44]
• 2003 Eastern Victorian alpine bushfires: 41 houses lost and 1,200,000 hectares (3,000,000 acres) burned from 8 January to 19 March in northeastern Victoria.^[38]
• 2003 Canberra bushfires: 488 houses lost and 4 fatalities on 18 January in western Canberra and nearby townships.^[45]

• 2001–02 Australian bushfire season: 110 houses lost

• Black Christmas bushfires: 109 houses lost and 733,342 hectares (1,812,130 acres) burned from 24 December to 16 January at numerous locations in New South Wales.^[46]
• 1 house lost in March at Glenaroua in Victoria^[38]

• 2000–01 Australian bushfire season: 11 houses lost

• 11 houses lost from 1–9 February at Tulka in South Australia.^[40]

1990s

• 1998–99 Australian bushfire season: 5 fatalities

• Linton bushfire: 5 firefighters killed on 2 December near Linton in Victoria^[47]

• 1997–98 Australian bushfire season: 10 houses lost, 4 fatalities

• 4 fatalities and 10 houses lost on 20 November at Menai in New South Wales^[46][48]

• 1996–97 Australian bushfire season: 44 houses lost, 3 fatalities

• 1 house destroyed in October near Ravensbourne in Queensland.^[43]
• 3 fatalities and 43 houses lost on 19 January in the Dandenong Ranges and Mornington Peninsula.^[49]

• 1994–95 Australian bushfire season: 23 houses lost

• 23 houses lost from September to November in southeast Queensland.^[50]

• 1993–94 Australian bushfire season: 206 houses lost, 4 fatalities

• 1994 Eastern seaboard fires: 4 fatalities and 206 houses lost on the east coast of New South Wales^[46]

• 1992–93 Australian bushfire season: 4 houses lost

• 4 houses lost at Coominya in Queensland^[43]

• 1991–92 Australian bushfire season: 17 houses lost, 3 fatalities

• 2 fatalities and 14 houses lost on 16 October in western Sydney and the Central Coast in New South Wales^[46]
• 1 fatality and 3 houses lost at Mount Tamborine in Queensland^[43]

• 1990-91 Australian bushfire season: 25 houses lost, 4 fatalities

• 3 fatalities in Queensland^[43]
• 8 houses lost on 23 December across New South Wales^[46]
• 1 fatality and 17 houses lost on 27 December at Strathbogie^[38]

1940s

• 1943-44 Australian bushfire season

1920s

• 1925-26 Australian bushfire season

References

1. "Pilbara bushfire threatens homes and lives". WA Today. 24 September 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
2. "All-clear ends Pilbara bushfire alert". WA Today. 28 September 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
3. "Farmer dies battling bushfire north of Adelaide". ABC News (Australia). 1 November 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
4. "Emergency warnings downgraded for Victoria fires as South Australia gets rain after 32 homes gone". Adelaide Now. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
5. "Adelaide Hills bushfire: Up to 38 houses destroyed, Kersbrook worst hit". ABC News (Australia). 6 January 2015. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
6. "Update – Damage assessment and fire investigation" (PDF) (Press release). New South Wales Rural Fire Service. 19 October 2013. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
7. "Lake Munmorah bushfire victim Walter Linder died defending home". Australia: ABC News. 18 October 2013. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
8. Browne, Rachel. "Aircraft fighting NSW bushfire crashes, pilot killed". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
9. "Residents begin to return home after 52 properties lost to Perth Hills fire". PerthNow. News Limited. 16 January 2014. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
10. "Grampians blaze claims more homes than previously thought". ABC News. 22 January 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
11. "Huge bushfires in South Australia destroy at least 15 properties during extreme weather". The Advertiser. News Limited. 19 January 2014. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
12. "South Australia fire destroys seven homes". ninemsn. 12 November 2012. Retrieved 27 December 2012.
13. "Fire destroys properties on Stradbroke Island". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 10 December 2012. Retrieved 10 December 2012.
14. "BUSHFIRE - DUNALLEY - JAN 2013". Australian Emergency Management Institute. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
15. Sands, Mark (18 January 2013). "New Tasmanian fire destroys 30 homes". Post Online. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
16. "Firefighter dies in Tasmania while fire threatens world-leading observatory in NSW". news.com.au. 14 January 2013. Retrieved 14 January 2013.
17. "BUSHFIRE - COONABARABRAN AND NEW SOUTH WALES". Australian Emergency Management Institute. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
18. "Residents angry over Victorian fire info". The Age (Melbourne). AAP. 9 January 2013. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
19. Nino Bucci; Bridie Smith; Adrian Lowe (9 January 2013). "Blaze near Ballarat destroys homes". The Age. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
20. Van de Wetering, Jodie; et al. (17 January 2013). "PM Julia Gillard visits Coonabarabran". 702 ABC Sydney. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
21. "75yo charged over Aberfeldy bushfire". ABC News. 30 January 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
22. "Two firefighters killed battling Victorian blaze". ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). 13 February 2013. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
23. "Esperance fire destroys home and machinery". Herald Sun (News Limited). 4 February 2013. Retrieved 4 February 2013.
24. "Boddington bushfire still out of control". 7 News (Yahoo7). 5 February 2013. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
25. "Homes lost in 'deadly' SW fire". The West Australian (Yahoo7). 14 February 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
26. "16 homes confirmed lost in Dereel fire". ABC News. 28 March 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
27. Brett Williamson (11 May 2013). "Cherryville bushfire contained". Australian Broadcasting Commission. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
28. "BUSHFIRE - AUGUSTA, MARGARET RIVER". Australian Emergency Management Institute. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
29. Quatermaine, Lisa (12 January 2011). "Lake Clifton fires: homes lost, lives threatened". PerthNow. Retrieved 7 February 2011.
30. "Weather offers reprieve in Gippsland blaze". ABC News. 2 February 2011. Retrieved 3 February 2011.
31. "BUSHFIRE - PERTH HILL BUSHFIRES". Australian Emergency Management Institute. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
32. Robinson, Natasha (18 December 2009). "Rain and milder temperatures bring relief to firefighters, but danger not over yet". The Australian. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
33. Noonan, Amy (23 December 2009). "Houses lost at Port Lincoln as fire threatens town". Adelaide Now. Archived from the original on 25 December 2009. Retrieved 23 December 2009.
34. "WA fire declared a natural disaster". ABC Online. 30 December 2009. Archived from the original on 2 January 2010. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
35. "CFA volunteer killed in truck roll". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 10 January 2010. Retrieved 27 August 2010.
36. Matt Williams, Doug Robertson, Jordanna Schriever (14 January 2009). "Devastating Port Lincoln blaze under control". News.com.au. Archived from the original on 13 February 2009. Retrieved 1 February 2009.
37. "Search on for suspected arsonist in Vic bushfires". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 1 February 2009. Archived from the original on 4 February 2009. Retrieved 11 February 2009.
38. "Major fires in Victoria". Country Fire Authority. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
39. "BUSHFIRE - BOORABBIN NATIONAL PARK". Australian Emergency Management Institute. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
40. "Bushfire History". South Australian Country Fire Service. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
41. Knox, Joe; Talbert, Rebel (2006). "Grassfire spreads 38km in New Year heat Junee Section 44 - "Jail Break Inn"" (PDF). BUSH FIREjournal (New South Wales Rural Fire Service) 28 (01): 5. Retrieved 30 August 2010.
42. "BUSHFIRE - VICTORIA". Australian Emergency Management Institute. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
43. "Understanding bushfire: trends in deliberate vegetation fires in Australia: Queensland" (PDF). Australian Institute of Criminology. p. 11. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
44. "BUSHFIRE - SYDNEY". Australian Emergency Management Institute. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
45. "BUSHFIRE - CANBERRA". Australian Emergency Management Institute. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
46. "Brief History of Bush Fires in NSW". NSW Rural Fire Service. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
47. "BUSHFIRE - LINTON (NEAR BALLARAT)". Australian Emergency Management Institute. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
48. "BUSHFIRE - SYDNEY, HUNTER, PILLIGA". Australian Emergency Management Institute. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
49. "BUSHFIRE - DANDENONG RANGES AND MORNINGTON PENINSULA". Australian Emergency Management Institute. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
50. "BUSHFIRE - EAST COAST QUEENSLAND". Australian Emergency Management Institute. Retrieved 13 January 2014.

External links

• Australian Emergency Management Knowledge Hub
• NSW Rural Fire Service: Brief History of Bush Fires in NSW
• Victorian Country Fire Authority: Major Fires
• South Australia Country Fire Service: Bushfire History