Bushfires in Australia
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.

Bushfires in Australia

Section Title: Major bushfires in Australia
Table Section Text: Bushfires have accounted for over 800 deaths in Australia since 1851 and the total accumulated cost is estimated at $1.6 billion.

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

Red Tuesday bushfires	Victoria	260,000	640,000	1 February 1898	12	2,000 buildings

1926 bushfires	Victoria	February – March 1926	60	1,000

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

1951 – 52 bushfires	Victoria	Summer 1951 – 52	at least 10

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

1961 Western Australian bushfires	Western Australia	1,800,000	4,400,000	January – March 1961	Nil	160 homes

1962 bushfires	Victoria	14 – 16 January 1962	32	450 houses

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

Dandenong Ranges bushfire	Victoria	1,920	4,700	19 February 1968	53 homes; 10 other buildings

1969 bushfires	Victoria	8 January 1969	23	230 houses

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

1974 Cobar bushfire	New South Wales	1,500,000	3,700,000	Mid December 1974

1974 Balranald bushfire	New South Wales	340,000	840,000	Mid December 1974

1974/75 New South Wales bushfires	New South Wales	4,500,000	11,000,000	1974/1975 season	6

Western Districts bushfires	Victoria	103,000	250,000	12 February 1977	4	116 houses, 340 buildings

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

1980 Waterfall bushfire	New South Wales	1,000,000	2,500,000	3 November 1980	5 firefighters	14 homes

Grays Point bushfire	New South Wales	9 January 1983	3 volunteer firefighters

Ash Wednesday bushfires	South AustraliaVictoria	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

1985 Cobar bushfire	New South Wales	516,000	1,280,000	Mid January 1985	Nil

1984/85 New South Wales bushfires	New South Wales	3,500,000	8,600,000	1984/1985 season	5

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

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

Lithgow bushfire	New South Wales	2 December 1997	2

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

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

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.

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.

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 WalesSouth AustraliaTasmaniaVictoriaWestern Australia	1,360,000	3,400,000	September 2006 – January 2007	5	Over 100 structures including 83 houses; numerous non-residential structures

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.

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.

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.

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 January – 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.

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).

2017 New South Wales bushfires	New South Wales	52,000	130,000	11 – 14 February 2017	Nil	35 dwellings.

2017 Carwoola bushfire	New South Wales	3,500	8,600	17 – 18 February 2017	Nil	11 dwellings destroyed; 12 damaged.

2018 Tathra bushfire	New South Wales	1,200	3,000	18 – 19 March 2018	Nil	69 houses and 30 caravans/cabins destroyed; 39 damaged.

Sentence(s)

During the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires, 173 people lost their lives.

final_sentence: During the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires, 173 people lost their lives.