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 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
Deadliest fires
- 2009 - 7 February - March "Black Saturday" (173 deaths)
- 1939 - December - January "Black Friday" (71 deaths)
- 1926 - 14 February - March "Black Sunday" (60 deaths)
- 1944 - December - February (51 deaths)
- 1983 - 16 February "Ash Wednesday" (47 in Victoria)
- 1962 - 14âÂÂ16 January (33 deaths)
- 1969 - 8 January (23 deaths)
- 1942 - Western Victoria (20 deaths)
- 1905 - 1 December (12 deaths)
- 1898 - 1 February "Red Tuesday" (12 deaths)
- 1851 - 6 February "Black Thursday" (12 deaths)
- 1943 - 22 December (10 deaths)
- 1952 - January - March, Central Victoria (10 deaths)
- 1977 - 12 February, Western Victoria (8 deaths)
- 1965 - 17 January (7 deaths) Longwood, Northern Victoria
- 1998 - 2 December (5 deaths) Linton, Western Victoria
- 1985 - 14 January (3 deaths) Avoca, Central Victoria
- 1997 - 21 January (3 deaths) Dandenong Ranges
See also
References
External links