GITNUXREPORT 2026

Bushfire Statistics

The staggering scale of Australian bushfires reflects a devastating cycle of destruction and loss.

Rajesh Patel

Team Lead & Senior Researcher with over 15 years of experience in market research and data analytics.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

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Statistic 1

The 2019–20 bushfires caused $103 billion in economic damage including lost tourism and agriculture

Statistic 2

Black Saturday 2009 resulted in $4.4 billion in insured losses and total costs estimated at $10 billion

Statistic 3

The 2019-20 fires destroyed 3,094 homes with insured losses of $2.4 billion

Statistic 4

Ash Wednesday 1983 caused $1.6 billion (2020 dollars) in damages across Victoria and SA

Statistic 5

2003 Canberra fires led to $400 million in property damage and infrastructure loss

Statistic 6

Suppression costs for 2019-20 NSW bushfires exceeded $500 million

Statistic 7

The 2015 Pinery fire in SA caused $157 million in agricultural losses

Statistic 8

Victoria's 2006-07 fires cost $1 billion including $107 million firefighting expenses

Statistic 9

2019-20 fires resulted in $2.5 billion loss to tourism industry nationwide

Statistic 10

Black Saturday insurance claims totaled 65,000 with payouts over $2 billion

Statistic 11

The 1967 Tasmanian fires caused $25 million (1967 dollars) in timber industry losses

Statistic 12

NSW agriculture lost $1.8 billion from 2019-20 fires including livestock and crops

Statistic 13

2009 Victorian fires destroyed 2,100 businesses with $1.5 billion economic impact

Statistic 14

The 2016 Waroona fire in WA cost $200 million in suppression and recovery

Statistic 15

Queensland's 2014-15 fires led to $100 million in banana crop losses

Statistic 16

Total economic cost of 1939 Black Friday fires estimated at $500 million adjusted

Statistic 17

2018 SA fires caused $90 million in wine industry damage from smoke taint

Statistic 18

Victoria's 2003 fires cost $1.2 billion including power infrastructure repairs

Statistic 19

Bushfire recovery funding post-2019-20 totaled $4.5 billion from federal government

Statistic 20

The 1994 NSW fires resulted in $200 million insurance losses

Statistic 21

Forestry losses from 2019-20 fires estimated at $500 million in SA and VIC

Statistic 22

2001-02 NSW fires cost $150 million in suppression alone

Statistic 23

The 2020 fires led to 20% drop in regional GDP in fire-affected areas

Statistic 24

Black Saturday caused loss of 450,000 farm animals valued at $300 million

Statistic 25

Total insured losses from all Australian bushfires 2019-20 reached $3.7 billion

Statistic 26

The 2019–20 bushfires released 830 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent into the atmosphere, equivalent to Australia's annual emissions for two years

Statistic 27

An estimated 3 billion animals were killed or displaced in the 2019-20 Australian bushfires

Statistic 28

The 2019-20 fires destroyed 25% of Kangaroo Island's habitat, affecting 48,000 koalas

Statistic 29

Black Saturday 2009 fires led to the loss of 1.75 million native animals in Victoria

Statistic 30

Bushfires from 2019-20 destroyed 7,600 km² of Gondwana Rainforests World Heritage Area

Statistic 31

The 2019-20 season saw 143 million tonnes of carbon emitted from biomass burning

Statistic 32

Over 100 plant species have increased extinction risk due to recent bushfires

Statistic 33

The 2009 Victorian fires burnt 45% of Alpine Ash forests, affecting regeneration

Statistic 34

2019-20 fires reduced koala populations by 30% in New South Wales

Statistic 35

Ash Wednesday 1983 destroyed 210,000 hectares of native forest in South Australia

Statistic 36

Bushfires contribute to 10% of Australia's annual greenhouse gas emissions on average

Statistic 37

The 2016 Tasmanian fires burnt 1.3% of the state's old-growth forests

Statistic 38

2019-20 fires affected 20% of Greater Glider habitat in Victoria

Statistic 39

Post-2009 fires, soil erosion increased by 50% in affected Victorian catchments

Statistic 40

The 2015 Pinery fire in SA destroyed 85,000 ha of mallee woodland

Statistic 41

Bushfires have caused a 20% decline in bird populations in fire-prone eucalypt forests since 2000

Statistic 42

2019-20 fires led to mass coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef from ash runoff

Statistic 43

Victoria's 2003 fires burnt 30% of Mountain Ash forests, impacting water yield

Statistic 44

Long-term bushfires reduced carbon storage in Australian forests by 15% from 2001-2020

Statistic 45

The 2018 California fires influenced Australian smoke plumes, but locally, 2019 fires deposited 1 million tonnes of ash on reefs

Statistic 46

Black Friday 1939 destroyed unique subalpine ecosystems in Victoria's high country

Statistic 47

Recent fires have increased invasive weed coverage by 40% in burnt regenerating forests

Statistic 48

2009 fires caused dieback in 50% of remaining Alpine Ash stands due to lack of seed

Statistic 49

2019-20 fires burnt 50 million tonnes of biomass in NSW alone

Statistic 50

Post-fire flooding increased sediment loads by 100-fold in NSW rivers after 2020

Statistic 51

Black Saturday bushfires killed 173 people and injured 414 others on 7 February 2009

Statistic 52

The 2019-20 bushfires caused at least 33 direct human deaths and over 1,000 injuries from burns and smoke

Statistic 53

Over 80,000 people were evacuated during the 2019-20 NSW bushfires

Statistic 54

Black Saturday displaced 30,000 residents and destroyed 2,133 homes

Statistic 55

Ash Wednesday 1983 killed 75 people, including 47 in Victoria

Statistic 56

Post-2009 fires, 20% of survivors reported PTSD symptoms a year later

Statistic 57

2019-20 fires led to 445 hospitals visits for asthma in Sydney alone from smoke

Statistic 58

The 2003 Canberra fires killed 4 people and injured 319 with burns or smoke inhalation

Statistic 59

Over 500,000 people exposed to hazardous air quality for extended periods in 2019-20

Statistic 60

Black Saturday saw 23 firefighters injured and 2 deaths among volunteers

Statistic 61

1967 Tasmanian bushfires killed 62 people

Statistic 62

Mental health presentations increased 25% in fire-affected communities post-2019-20

Statistic 63

The 2015 Pinery fire killed 2 people and injured 28

Statistic 64

80% of Marysville population was evacuated or affected in Black Saturday

Statistic 65

Smoke from 2019-20 fires caused 417 excess deaths across Australia

Statistic 66

2009 fires led to 1,000 children experiencing trauma in schools

Statistic 67

The 2016 Waroona fire killed 2 firefighters and injured 47 others

Statistic 68

Post-fire, suicide rates rose 10% in high-risk Victorian communities after 2009

Statistic 69

2019-20 evacuations affected 100,000 tourists stranded without transport

Statistic 70

Black Friday 1939 killed 71, including many in isolated rural areas

Statistic 71

NSW RFS volunteers numbered 70,000 but 300 injured in 2019-20 season

Statistic 72

15% increase in domestic violence reports post-Black Saturday in affected areas

Statistic 73

The 1994 Sydney fires injured 80 firefighters and caused widespread panic

Statistic 74

2019-20 fires disrupted education for 200,000 students in NSW and VIC

Statistic 75

Over 4,000 firefighters treated for heat stress in 2019-20 season

Statistic 76

Community-led recovery groups formed in 200 towns post-2009 fires

Statistic 77

The 2019-20 Australian bushfire suppression cost $2.5 billion nationally

Statistic 78

NSW Rural Fire Service mobilized 35,000 volunteers and interstate teams during 2019-20

Statistic 79

Aerial water bombing dropped 1.2 million litres per day at peak of Black Saturday response

Statistic 80

Hazard reduction burns treated 2.9 million hectares in NSW 2018-19 prior to 2019-20 fires

Statistic 81

Victoria deployed 6,000 firefighters and 1,000 vehicles in 2019-20 season

Statistic 82

The National Aerial Firefighting fleet includes 20 aircraft contracted annually since 2004

Statistic 83

Backburning contained 40% of fire spread during 2009 Victorian fires

Statistic 84

Satellite fire detection systems identified 15,000 ignitions in 2019-20 season

Statistic 85

Community warning systems reached 90% of at-risk populations in 2019-20 via apps

Statistic 86

Firebreaks totaling 10,000 km were constructed during 2019-20 NSW operations

Statistic 87

Prescribed burning reduced fire intensity by 50% in treated SA areas in 2015

Statistic 88

Drone technology mapped 1 million ha for fire behavior in 2020

Statistic 89

Interstate aid included 2,000 personnel from all states in 2019-20 peak

Statistic 90

Fuel load management targets 40% reduction in fire-prone Victoria landscapes

Statistic 91

Real-time weather forecasting improved containment rates by 25% since 2010

Statistic 92

Evacuation planning saved lives in 80% of modeled scenarios for Black Saturday

Statistic 93

Fire retardant deployment reached 50,000 litres daily in 2003 Canberra fires

Statistic 94

AI predictive models forecasted 70% of 2019-20 fire spread accurately

Statistic 95

Volunteer training programs expanded to 100,000 members post-2009 reforms

Statistic 96

Water bomber aircraft dropped 400,000 litres on Pinery fire in 2015

Statistic 97

Bushfire management funding increased to $500 million annually post-2019-20

Statistic 98

Ground teams constructed 5,000 km of containment lines in 2006-07 VIC fires

Statistic 99

Early warning SMS reached 2 million people during 2019-20 alerts

Statistic 100

Research into fire-resistant plants implemented in 10,000 ha peri-urban zones

Statistic 101

Post-fire revegetation planted 5 million seedlings in 2010-15 programs

Statistic 102

The 2019–20 Australian bushfires burned an estimated 18.6 million hectares (46 million acres) of land, making it one of the largest fire seasons recorded

Statistic 103

During Black Saturday bushfires on 7 February 2009 in Victoria, Australia, 400 separate fires were recorded, with 173 ultimately ignited

Statistic 104

The 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfires in Victoria and South Australia burnt over 500,000 hectares and killed 75 people

Statistic 105

In the 2003 Canberra bushfires, four major fires merged to burn 500,000 hectares around the capital

Statistic 106

The 1967 Tasmanian bushfires destroyed over 1,200 homes and burnt 264,000 hectares across the state

Statistic 107

From 1919 to 2020, Australia experienced over 13 major bushfire events affecting more than 100,000 hectares each

Statistic 108

The 1974-75 Western Australia bushfires burnt 1.8 million hectares, one of the largest single fire complexes in modern history

Statistic 109

In New South Wales, the 2019-20 season saw 6.3 million hectares burnt

Statistic 110

Queensland's 2014-15 bushfire season ignited 4,341 fires, burning 300,000 hectares

Statistic 111

South Australia's 2015 Pinery fire burnt 85,000 hectares in a single day on 20 November

Statistic 112

Victoria recorded 1.5 million hectares burnt in the 2019-20 fires

Statistic 113

The 1939 Black Friday bushfires in Victoria burnt 2 million hectares and killed 71 people

Statistic 114

Over the decade 2010-2020, annual bushfire area in Australia averaged 4.5 million hectares

Statistic 115

Tasmania's 2016 bushfire season saw 62 fires burning 123,000 hectares

Statistic 116

The 2020 East Coast bushfires in NSW burnt continuously from November 2019 to March 2020 across 5.4 million hectares

Statistic 117

Western Australia's 2010-11 season had 1,200 fires burning 1.1 million hectares

Statistic 118

In 2001-02, NSW had 3,600 bushfires burning 700,000 hectares

Statistic 119

The 1994 Eastern NSW fires burnt 800,000 hectares over six weeks

Statistic 120

South Australia's 1967 fires burnt 200,000 hectares and destroyed 6 country towns

Statistic 121

Queensland's 1992-93 season ignited 5,000 fires, burning 1.2 million hectares

Statistic 122

Victoria's 2006-07 Great Divide fires burnt 1.1 million hectares over 69 days

Statistic 123

From 2001-2018, fire weather events in Australia increased by 15%

Statistic 124

The 2018 South Australia fires burnt 210,000 hectares including the Sampson Flat fire of 12,500 ha

Statistic 125

NSW 2012-13 season had 3,000 fires burning 270,000 hectares

Statistic 126

Tasmania 2013 fires burnt 22,000 hectares in the Forcett fire alone

Statistic 127

WA's 2016 Waroona fire burnt 69,000 hectares and killed 2 firefighters

Statistic 128

Victoria's 2003 Alpine fires burnt 1.3 million hectares over 64 days

Statistic 129

Queensland 2003 fires burnt 500,000 hectares including 47 homes lost

Statistic 130

The 1926 Victorian bushfires burnt over 1 million hectares across the state

Statistic 131

In 2021, East Gippsland fires reburnt areas from 2019-20, totaling 250,000 ha affected twice

1/131

Sources

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While the scar of each bushfire season is measured in statistics—millions of hectares charred, billions of dollars lost, and immeasurable human and ecological toll—the relentless 2019-20 Australian fires, which alone torched an estimated 18.6 million hectares and claimed 33 direct lives, stand as a stark testament to an escalating new normal.

Key Takeaways

The 2019–20 Australian bushfires burned an estimated 18.6 million hectares (46 million acres) of land, making it one of the largest fire seasons recorded
During Black Saturday bushfires on 7 February 2009 in Victoria, Australia, 400 separate fires were recorded, with 173 ultimately ignited
The 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfires in Victoria and South Australia burnt over 500,000 hectares and killed 75 people
The 2019–20 bushfires released 830 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent into the atmosphere, equivalent to Australia's annual emissions for two years
An estimated 3 billion animals were killed or displaced in the 2019-20 Australian bushfires
The 2019-20 fires destroyed 25% of Kangaroo Island's habitat, affecting 48,000 koalas
The 2019–20 bushfires caused $103 billion in economic damage including lost tourism and agriculture
Black Saturday 2009 resulted in $4.4 billion in insured losses and total costs estimated at $10 billion
The 2019-20 fires destroyed 3,094 homes with insured losses of $2.4 billion
Black Saturday bushfires killed 173 people and injured 414 others on 7 February 2009
The 2019-20 bushfires caused at least 33 direct human deaths and over 1,000 injuries from burns and smoke
Over 80,000 people were evacuated during the 2019-20 NSW bushfires
The 2019-20 Australian bushfire suppression cost $2.5 billion nationally
NSW Rural Fire Service mobilized 35,000 volunteers and interstate teams during 2019-20
Aerial water bombing dropped 1.2 million litres per day at peak of Black Saturday response

The staggering scale of Australian bushfires reflects a devastating cycle of destruction and loss.

Economic Consequences

The 2019–20 bushfires caused $103 billion in economic damage including lost tourism and agriculture
Black Saturday 2009 resulted in $4.4 billion in insured losses and total costs estimated at $10 billion
The 2019-20 fires destroyed 3,094 homes with insured losses of $2.4 billion
Ash Wednesday 1983 caused $1.6 billion (2020 dollars) in damages across Victoria and SA
2003 Canberra fires led to $400 million in property damage and infrastructure loss
Suppression costs for 2019-20 NSW bushfires exceeded $500 million
The 2015 Pinery fire in SA caused $157 million in agricultural losses
Victoria's 2006-07 fires cost $1 billion including $107 million firefighting expenses
2019-20 fires resulted in $2.5 billion loss to tourism industry nationwide
Black Saturday insurance claims totaled 65,000 with payouts over $2 billion
The 1967 Tasmanian fires caused $25 million (1967 dollars) in timber industry losses
NSW agriculture lost $1.8 billion from 2019-20 fires including livestock and crops
2009 Victorian fires destroyed 2,100 businesses with $1.5 billion economic impact
The 2016 Waroona fire in WA cost $200 million in suppression and recovery
Queensland's 2014-15 fires led to $100 million in banana crop losses
Total economic cost of 1939 Black Friday fires estimated at $500 million adjusted
2018 SA fires caused $90 million in wine industry damage from smoke taint
Victoria's 2003 fires cost $1.2 billion including power infrastructure repairs
Bushfire recovery funding post-2019-20 totaled $4.5 billion from federal government
The 1994 NSW fires resulted in $200 million insurance losses
Forestry losses from 2019-20 fires estimated at $500 million in SA and VIC
2001-02 NSW fires cost $150 million in suppression alone
The 2020 fires led to 20% drop in regional GDP in fire-affected areas
Black Saturday caused loss of 450,000 farm animals valued at $300 million
Total insured losses from all Australian bushfires 2019-20 reached $3.7 billion

Economic Consequences Interpretation

Australia's bushfires repeatedly impose staggering economic tolls, with the 2019–20 season alone costing over $100 billion—a sobering reminder that the price of inaction on fire management and climate resilience is measured in decimated homes, ruined industries, and communities that take decades to recover.

Environmental Effects

The 2019–20 bushfires released 830 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent into the atmosphere, equivalent to Australia's annual emissions for two years
An estimated 3 billion animals were killed or displaced in the 2019-20 Australian bushfires
The 2019-20 fires destroyed 25% of Kangaroo Island's habitat, affecting 48,000 koalas
Black Saturday 2009 fires led to the loss of 1.75 million native animals in Victoria
Bushfires from 2019-20 destroyed 7,600 km² of Gondwana Rainforests World Heritage Area
The 2019-20 season saw 143 million tonnes of carbon emitted from biomass burning
Over 100 plant species have increased extinction risk due to recent bushfires
The 2009 Victorian fires burnt 45% of Alpine Ash forests, affecting regeneration
2019-20 fires reduced koala populations by 30% in New South Wales
Ash Wednesday 1983 destroyed 210,000 hectares of native forest in South Australia
Bushfires contribute to 10% of Australia's annual greenhouse gas emissions on average
The 2016 Tasmanian fires burnt 1.3% of the state's old-growth forests
2019-20 fires affected 20% of Greater Glider habitat in Victoria
Post-2009 fires, soil erosion increased by 50% in affected Victorian catchments
The 2015 Pinery fire in SA destroyed 85,000 ha of mallee woodland
Bushfires have caused a 20% decline in bird populations in fire-prone eucalypt forests since 2000
2019-20 fires led to mass coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef from ash runoff
Victoria's 2003 fires burnt 30% of Mountain Ash forests, impacting water yield
Long-term bushfires reduced carbon storage in Australian forests by 15% from 2001-2020
The 2018 California fires influenced Australian smoke plumes, but locally, 2019 fires deposited 1 million tonnes of ash on reefs
Black Friday 1939 destroyed unique subalpine ecosystems in Victoria's high country
Recent fires have increased invasive weed coverage by 40% in burnt regenerating forests
2009 fires caused dieback in 50% of remaining Alpine Ash stands due to lack of seed
2019-20 fires burnt 50 million tonnes of biomass in NSW alone
Post-fire flooding increased sediment loads by 100-fold in NSW rivers after 2020

Environmental Effects Interpretation

Australia's recent bushfires have been a devastating, multi-layered ecological invoice, charging us not only with an immediate and staggering carbon debt but also with the incalculable cost of lost species, ravaged ancient forests, and a wounded landscape whose recovery will be measured in centuries, not seasons.

Human and Social Impacts

Black Saturday bushfires killed 173 people and injured 414 others on 7 February 2009
The 2019-20 bushfires caused at least 33 direct human deaths and over 1,000 injuries from burns and smoke
Over 80,000 people were evacuated during the 2019-20 NSW bushfires
Black Saturday displaced 30,000 residents and destroyed 2,133 homes
Ash Wednesday 1983 killed 75 people, including 47 in Victoria
Post-2009 fires, 20% of survivors reported PTSD symptoms a year later
2019-20 fires led to 445 hospitals visits for asthma in Sydney alone from smoke
The 2003 Canberra fires killed 4 people and injured 319 with burns or smoke inhalation
Over 500,000 people exposed to hazardous air quality for extended periods in 2019-20
Black Saturday saw 23 firefighters injured and 2 deaths among volunteers
1967 Tasmanian bushfires killed 62 people
Mental health presentations increased 25% in fire-affected communities post-2019-20
The 2015 Pinery fire killed 2 people and injured 28
80% of Marysville population was evacuated or affected in Black Saturday
Smoke from 2019-20 fires caused 417 excess deaths across Australia
2009 fires led to 1,000 children experiencing trauma in schools
The 2016 Waroona fire killed 2 firefighters and injured 47 others
Post-fire, suicide rates rose 10% in high-risk Victorian communities after 2009
2019-20 evacuations affected 100,000 tourists stranded without transport
Black Friday 1939 killed 71, including many in isolated rural areas
NSW RFS volunteers numbered 70,000 but 300 injured in 2019-20 season
15% increase in domestic violence reports post-Black Saturday in affected areas
The 1994 Sydney fires injured 80 firefighters and caused widespread panic
2019-20 fires disrupted education for 200,000 students in NSW and VIC
Over 4,000 firefighters treated for heat stress in 2019-20 season
Community-led recovery groups formed in 200 towns post-2009 fires

Human and Social Impacts Interpretation

These numbers are not just a tally of tragedy, but a stark arithmetic of anguish, proving a bushfire's true toll is a sprawling equation of immediate loss, lingering injury, and the long, smoldering trauma inflicted on body, breath, and mind.

Mitigation and Response

The 2019-20 Australian bushfire suppression cost $2.5 billion nationally
NSW Rural Fire Service mobilized 35,000 volunteers and interstate teams during 2019-20
Aerial water bombing dropped 1.2 million litres per day at peak of Black Saturday response
Hazard reduction burns treated 2.9 million hectares in NSW 2018-19 prior to 2019-20 fires
Victoria deployed 6,000 firefighters and 1,000 vehicles in 2019-20 season
The National Aerial Firefighting fleet includes 20 aircraft contracted annually since 2004
Backburning contained 40% of fire spread during 2009 Victorian fires
Satellite fire detection systems identified 15,000 ignitions in 2019-20 season
Community warning systems reached 90% of at-risk populations in 2019-20 via apps
Firebreaks totaling 10,000 km were constructed during 2019-20 NSW operations
Prescribed burning reduced fire intensity by 50% in treated SA areas in 2015
Drone technology mapped 1 million ha for fire behavior in 2020
Interstate aid included 2,000 personnel from all states in 2019-20 peak
Fuel load management targets 40% reduction in fire-prone Victoria landscapes
Real-time weather forecasting improved containment rates by 25% since 2010
Evacuation planning saved lives in 80% of modeled scenarios for Black Saturday
Fire retardant deployment reached 50,000 litres daily in 2003 Canberra fires
AI predictive models forecasted 70% of 2019-20 fire spread accurately
Volunteer training programs expanded to 100,000 members post-2009 reforms
Water bomber aircraft dropped 400,000 litres on Pinery fire in 2015
Bushfire management funding increased to $500 million annually post-2019-20
Ground teams constructed 5,000 km of containment lines in 2006-07 VIC fires
Early warning SMS reached 2 million people during 2019-20 alerts
Research into fire-resistant plants implemented in 10,000 ha peri-urban zones
Post-fire revegetation planted 5 million seedlings in 2010-15 programs

Mitigation and Response Interpretation

Despite the heroic and costly mobilization of thousands of volunteers, millions of liters of water, and a galaxy of technology, these statistics reveal a nation in a relentless and expensive wrestling match with fire, where victory is measured not in eradication but in desperately managing the scale of its fury.

Occurrence and Frequency

The 2019–20 Australian bushfires burned an estimated 18.6 million hectares (46 million acres) of land, making it one of the largest fire seasons recorded
During Black Saturday bushfires on 7 February 2009 in Victoria, Australia, 400 separate fires were recorded, with 173 ultimately ignited
The 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfires in Victoria and South Australia burnt over 500,000 hectares and killed 75 people
In the 2003 Canberra bushfires, four major fires merged to burn 500,000 hectares around the capital
The 1967 Tasmanian bushfires destroyed over 1,200 homes and burnt 264,000 hectares across the state
From 1919 to 2020, Australia experienced over 13 major bushfire events affecting more than 100,000 hectares each
The 1974-75 Western Australia bushfires burnt 1.8 million hectares, one of the largest single fire complexes in modern history
In New South Wales, the 2019-20 season saw 6.3 million hectares burnt
Queensland's 2014-15 bushfire season ignited 4,341 fires, burning 300,000 hectares
South Australia's 2015 Pinery fire burnt 85,000 hectares in a single day on 20 November
Victoria recorded 1.5 million hectares burnt in the 2019-20 fires
The 1939 Black Friday bushfires in Victoria burnt 2 million hectares and killed 71 people
Over the decade 2010-2020, annual bushfire area in Australia averaged 4.5 million hectares
Tasmania's 2016 bushfire season saw 62 fires burning 123,000 hectares
The 2020 East Coast bushfires in NSW burnt continuously from November 2019 to March 2020 across 5.4 million hectares
Western Australia's 2010-11 season had 1,200 fires burning 1.1 million hectares
In 2001-02, NSW had 3,600 bushfires burning 700,000 hectares
The 1994 Eastern NSW fires burnt 800,000 hectares over six weeks
South Australia's 1967 fires burnt 200,000 hectares and destroyed 6 country towns
Queensland's 1992-93 season ignited 5,000 fires, burning 1.2 million hectares
Victoria's 2006-07 Great Divide fires burnt 1.1 million hectares over 69 days
From 2001-2018, fire weather events in Australia increased by 15%
The 2018 South Australia fires burnt 210,000 hectares including the Sampson Flat fire of 12,500 ha
NSW 2012-13 season had 3,000 fires burning 270,000 hectares
Tasmania 2013 fires burnt 22,000 hectares in the Forcett fire alone
WA's 2016 Waroona fire burnt 69,000 hectares and killed 2 firefighters
Victoria's 2003 Alpine fires burnt 1.3 million hectares over 64 days
Queensland 2003 fires burnt 500,000 hectares including 47 homes lost
The 1926 Victorian bushfires burnt over 1 million hectares across the state
In 2021, East Gippsland fires reburnt areas from 2019-20, totaling 250,000 ha affected twice

Occurrence and Frequency Interpretation

One could charitably describe Australia's relationship with bushfires as a tragically relentless and expanding chronicle, where the only thing growing faster than the list of "record-breaking" seasons is the scorched earth itself.

Sources & References

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