1993–94 Australian bushfire season

Last updated

1993–94 Australian bushfire season
Date(s)October 1993 – January 1994
Location New South Wales and Queensland, Australia
Statistics
Burned area70,000+ ha
Impacts
Deaths3
Non-fatal injuries29+
Sydney Bushfire smoke in January 1994 Sydney bushfire.jpg
Sydney Bushfire smoke in January 1994

A major bushfire occurred in southern Queensland, Australia, in October 1993, and several major bushfires occurred in New South Wales from December 1993 to January 1994. 3 people were killed in New South Wales by the fires and more than 29 were injured. More than 70,000 ha were destroyed in New South Wales.

StateStart dateDeathsInjuriesHouses lostArea (ha)Local govt.Impacted communities & destructionDurationRef.
QLD 10 October 19933 Somerset Coominya & Esk
  • 4 caravans destroyed
[1]
NSW 27 December 199314 Clarence Valley Maclean [2] [3]
NSW 30 December 19931115,000 ha (37,000 acres) Cessnock & Singleton Bucketty
  • 16 non-residential structures, 4 caravans and 3 vehicles destroyed
  • A tourist railway damaged
17 days [4] [5] [6]
NSW 1 January 19945+12,500 ha (31,000 acres) Hornsby

Brooklyn, Canoelands & Wisemans Ferry

  • A garage and several non-residential buildings destroyed
[4] [5] [7]
NSW 3 January 199424 Gosford Cogra Bay, Kariong, Peats Ridge, Somersby & Tascott
  • Several non-residential structures destroyed, including a service station
  • 8 houses damaged
12 days [4] [5] [8]
NSW 3 January 199414 Lake Macquarie & Newcastle Bennetts Green, Charlestown, Glendale & Wallsend
  • A retail property, a wrecker's yard and several other non-residential structures destroyed
  • 8 houses damaged
11 days [4] [5] [9] [10]
NSW 4 January 1994550,000 ha (120,000 acres) Blue Mountains & Hawkesbury Hawkesbury Heights
  • 26 non-residential structures destroyed, including a youth hostel
  • 26 houses and 84 non-residential structures damaged
11 days [4] [5] [11] [12]
NSW 5 January 199422,000 ha (4,900 acres) Eurobodalla & Shoalhaven

Sussex Inlet

6 days [4] [5] [13]
NSW 6 January 19945+17370 ha (910 acres) Willoughby & Ku-ring-gai Macquarie Park, West Chatswood, West Killara & Lindfield
  • Ku-ring-gai College and at least 3 houses damaged
[4] [5] [14] [15] [16]
NSW 6 January 19942 Port Stephens
  • 8 non-residential structures destroyed, including dog kennels
  • A timber factory damaged
8 days [4] [5] [17]
NSW 7 January 1994120+101480 ha (1,200 acres) Sutherland

Alfords Point, Bangor, Bonnet Bay, Como & Jannali

  • 14 non-residential structures destroyed, including Como West Presbyterian Church
  • 48 vehicles destroyed
  • 90 houses and 11 non-residential structures damaged, including Como West Public School
6 days [4] [5] [13] [18] [19] [20]
NSW 7 January 19943611,000 ha (27,000 acres) Pittwater & Warringah Bayview, Cromer, Elanora Heights, Elvina Bay, Ingleside, Lovett Bay & Warriewood
  • 4 non-residential structures destroyed, including a service station
  • 16 vehicles destroyed
  • 43 houses and 87 non-residential structures damaged
6 days [4] [5] [13] [14] [21] [22] [23]

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References

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  23. Chater, Jenny; Steve Offner (13 January 1994). "'We didn't even know it was close'". The Sydney Morning Herald . p. 46.