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Bushfires - In My Backyard?

Australia has several main bushfire disasters each year as it is highly prone to them.

If we were to list them, there would be a very long page. Here are just a few infamous bushfire disasters.

You can research many other fires, including ones that may have occurred near you.

Eastern Victorian Alpines – 2003

An aerial photograph showing the
smoke from the 2003 bushfires

On the 8th of January 2003 lightening struck the Victorian Alps. This resulted in 87 fires across the State’s north east.

The majority of the fires were able to be extinguished, but 8 were too large to be controlled. These remaining fires eventually joined to become a fierce fireball that would sweep through the Victorian ranges. This would be the largest bushfire in Victoria since 1939’s “Black Friday”. The photo on the right shows the smoke from those fires.

State and Territory Emergency Services fought the fires for 59 days until they were able to control it.

The total damages of the bushfire were:

• 1.3 million hectares were burnt.
• Over 40 homes burnt and destroyed.
• Approximately 9000 animals and livestock were killed, or had to be destroyed due to their injuries.

Mornington Peninsula and Dandenong Ranges, Victoria – 1997

During the summer of 1997, between the 19th and the 21st of January, a series of devastating bushfires broke out in Victoria.

Temperatures on these days exceeded 40°C and strong winds fanned the fires. These bushfires occurred and affected areas such as:

• Mt. Eliza
• Melbourne
• Mt. Martha
• Arthur’s Seat
• Morning Peninsula
• Dandenong Ranges
• Ferny Creek
• Upwey
• Kalorama

43 homes were destroyed and another 45 damaged during these bushfires. Unfortunately, 3 people were killed and 40 injured.

Eastern Seaboard, New South Wales – 1994

January 1994 was a hot dry summer. Fires broke out in the north of New South Wales and soon the hot and dry winds acted as a catalyst and caused the fires to spread.

Meanwhile, more fires were breaking out on the east coast as far south as Batemans Bay. These fires were fuelled by winds that blew for 3 weeks. These fires caused people to evacuate their homes, bringing fear and devastation and leaving 20,000 of the nation’s volunteer fire-fighters to fight 800 bushfires.

Areas such as the Hunter Valley, Sydney and the Blue Mountains were the main areas where the bushfires were most serious. These fires caused great losses that included:

House on fire

• Approximately 800,000 hectares were extinguished.
• 40 National Parks were affected.
• 4 people died – 3 of which were fire-fighters.
• 120 people were injured.
• Nearly 1000 were left homeless.
• Thousands of native animals and hundreds of livestock died.

“Ash Wednesday”, South Australia and Victoria – 1983

South Australia and Victoria were experiencing a hot and dry summer in February 1983. Small fires broke out across the two states. The bushfires spread to the New South Wales and Victorian boarders on the 1st of February 1983. Fires continued to break out and flare across South Australia and Victoria.

By the 16th of February, the bushfires had caused devastation to lives, forest and buildings. The 16th of February was then declared as “Ash Wednesday”.

The “Ash Wednesday” fires caused:

• The burning of over 520,000 hectares.
• Ruined over 3700 buildings.
• 2400 homes were destroyed.
• Livestock losses.
• The loss of 76 lives.

This day is still commemorated around Australia each year.

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