Bushfires in Victoria
The state of Victoria in Australia has had a long history of catastrophic bushfires.
The most deadly of these, the Black Saturday bushfires of 2009 claiming 173 lives. Legislation, planning, management, and suppression are the responsibilities of the [Government of Victoria (Australia)|Victoria (Australia)|Victorian State Government]
By number of fires
- Lightning - 26%
- Deliberate - 25%
- Agricultural - 16%
- Campfire - 10%
- Cigarettes/Matches - 7%
- Unknown Causes - 6%
By area burnt
- Lightning - 46%
- Public Utilities - 14%
- Deliberate - 14%
- Misc - 9%
- Agricultural - 7%
- Planned burn escapes - 5%
- Unknown Causes - 3%
- Machinery/Exhaust - 2%
- Campfire - 1%
- Cigarettes/Matches - less than 1%
Major Victorian Bushfires
Most extensive fires
- 1851 - 6 February "Black Thursday"
- 1938-39 - December - January "Black Friday"
- 2020 - 3 January "2019–20 Australian bushfire season"
- 2003 - January - March "2003 Eastern Victorian alpine bushfires"
- 2006-07 - 1 December - 6 February "Eastern Victoria Great Divide bushfires"
- 1944 - January - February
- 1983 - 16 February "Ash Wednesday"
- 2009 - 7 February "Black Saturday"
- 1965 - Gippsland
- 1898 - 1 February "Red Tuesday"
Deadliest fires
- 2009 - 7 February - March "Black Saturday"
- 1939 - December - January "Black Friday"
- 1926 - 14 February - March "Black Sunday"
- 1944 - December - February
- 1983 - 16 February "Ash Wednesday"
- 1962 - 14–16 January
- 1969 - 8 January
- 1942 - Western Victoria
- 1905 - 1 December
- 1898 - 1 February "Red Tuesday"
- 1851 - 6 February "Black Thursday"
- 1943 - 22 December
- 1952 - January - March, Central Victoria
- 1977 - 12 February, Western Victoria
- 1965 - 17 January Longwood, Northern Victoria
- 1998 - 2 December Linton, Western Victoria
- 1985 - 14 January Avoca, Central Victoria
- 1997 - 21 January Dandenong Ranges