2011–12 Australian bushfire season
Bushfires were mostly active between September 2011 to March 2012 and caused most damage in the state of Western Australia, particularly in the South West. The state had been prepared and had expected an increased risk of bushfire following heavy spring rains as a result of a La Nina weather pattern. Large fires swept through the Barkly Tableland and Victoria River districts, destroying large tracts of grazing land. Fire fronts estimated at were reported; the Barkly fire resulted in of country being burnt with another being lost in the Victoria River district. During the Kimberley Ultramarathon  on 2 September, a bushfire raced through the course, engulfing a group of five participants at El Questro Station. Two men escaped the flames, suffering severe burns but the two females were trapped, each suffering critical injuries. Thirty grass fires were burning in Kimberley at the same time. Several other fires were burning through the Kimberley, resulting in the loss of of grassland. It has since been discovered that Kimberley locals were lighting fires before and on the day of the race A bushfire at Katoomba and the Blue Mountains on 24 October caused some houses and a school to  be evacuated, over 100 fire-fighters and three aircraft responding to contain the blaze. Some minor property damage occurred but no homes were lost in the blaze. A fire broke out near Margaret River in the South West region on 23 November. Temperatures in excess of and strong winds fanned what began as a controlled burn in the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park. November. The fire soon swept over the town causing hundreds of people from Prevelly, Gnarabup and the town outskirts to be evacuated to the beach. By the following day dozens of homes had been lost to the fire , including historic Wallcliffe House. The premier, Colin Barnett, declared Margaret River a Natural Disaster Zone and promised a full inquiry as to how the fire started. The fire was controlled by 26 November after burning through of land and leaving a total of 39 homes destroyed and another 14 damaged, but no lives were lost. Other bushfires were recorded at the same time about south west of Nannup, another near Three Springs, a third near Peron and a fourth north of Denmark. In the Pilbara region a large bushfire burnt through an area of of bushland in the Nimingarra area  close to the Yarrie minesite. The Denmark fire was contained but warnings remained by 1 December, a total of were lost. December. The Nannup fire continued to burn and was not contained until 3 December, by 2 December it had claimed some , it had started as a prescribed burn but had raged out of control. Once finally extinguished it had burnt out about of land. A large fire in the Pilbara region had burned out over of bushland and rangeland by 26 December. A large portion of Giralia Station was burnt out with the firecoming close to the homestead before  being extinguished. Yanrey and Koordarrie Stations were also threatened by the blaze. Moreton Island suffered a grass fire that burnt out of the island vegetation and came within of the small community of Cowan which was protected by backburning. The fire started on 4 January and was expected to burn for weeks. A fire that started 4 January and burnt for three days burnt of pastoral lands, damaging stock in an area approximately south east of Port Augusta. A fire broke out in the Grampians on 4 January and was thought to have been started by lightning. 150 fire-fighters  battled the blaze along with water bombing aircraft. Over of bushland was burnt in the blaze. A fire that started in late December in the Yalgoo Shire was mostly contained by 5 January after burning out an area of of bushland. More fires were also ignited in the Kearney State forest, near Nannup, resulting from lightning strikes. January. A large fire in the Gascoyne burnt out approximately of grazing and bushland. It spread over a distance of , leading to the temporary closure of the North West Coastal Highway and other roads around Kennedy Range National Park. The fire burnt for  a week after a smaller fire escaped containment lines on 8 January, burning out over by 15 January and then continuing to burn until 30 January. Other fires that broke out late in January in Wooroloo and Chittering were both under control by 30 January. The town of Northcliffe was menaced by a bushfire that came within of the townsite on 22 February. Smoke haze from the fire effected the south west coast of the state. The fire had been ignited by lightning on 8 February and had burnt out over 14 February and was expected to burn over before  being contained. A fire broke out north of Nannup and was brought under control by 14 March. 113 personnel, 13 trucks and 4 earthmovers were used in containing the blaze. March. The suburb of Koondoola was struck by a fire that threatened homes on 28 March. The fire that started under suspicious circumstances burnt out 45ha of bushland and required 55 fire-fighters and waterbombers to bring it under control.