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+

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]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bronwyn Bishop</span> Australian politician (born 1942)

Bronwyn Kathleen Bishop is an Australian former politician who served as the 29th speaker of the Australian House of Representatives from 2013 to 2015. A member of the Liberal Party of Australia, she served as a senator for New South Wales from 1987 to 1994 after which she became the member of parliament (MP) for the division of Mackellar from 1994 to 2016. During her time in parliament she served as the minister for Defence Industry from 1996 to 1998 and minister for Aged Care from 1998 to 2001 under Prime Minister John Howard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian Alps</span> Bioregion in Australia

The Australian Alps are a mountain range in southeast Australia. The range comprises an interim Australian bioregion, and is the highest mountain range in Australia. The range straddles the borders of eastern Victoria, southeastern New South Wales, and the Australian Capital Territory. It contains Australia's only peaks exceeding 2,000 m (6,600 ft) in elevation, and is the only bioregion on the Australian mainland in which deep snow falls annually. The range comprises an area of 1,232,981 ha.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New South Wales Rural Fire Service</span> Volunteer firefighting agency

The New South Wales Rural Fire Service is a volunteer-based firefighting agency and statutory body of the Government of New South Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Tink</span> New South Wales politician

Andrew Arnold Tink AM is a former Australian politician, having served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for the Liberal Party from 1988 to 2007. He was in the shadow cabinet from 1995 until March 2006. He has written two political biographies, a third book on the events and political consequences of a fatal plane crash, a fourth on Australian history, culture and society in the 20th century and a fifth on the involvement of Honeysuckle Creek Tracking Station in the first Moon landing. Since leaving politics, Tink has been appointed a visiting fellow and adjunct professor at Macquarie University, as a trustee of the Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales and president of the Library Council of New South Wales. He is an honorary Doctor of Letters honoris causa from Macquarie University.

Philip Christian Koperberg, is the Chairman of the New South Wales Emergency Management Committee, responsible for advising the New South Wales government on emergency response strategies, since 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006–07 Australian bushfire season</span> Australian bushfire

One of the most extensive bushfire seasons in Australia's history. Victoria experienced the longest continuously burning bushfire complex in Australia's history, with fires in the Victorian Alps and Gippsland burning over 1 million hectares of land over the course of 69 days. See Bushfires in Australia for an explanation of regional seasons.

In Australia, during winter and spring 2001, low rainfall across combined with a hot, dry December created ideal conditions for bushfires. On the day of Christmas Eve, firefighters from the Grose Vale Rural Fire Service (RFS) brigade attended a blaze in rugged terrain at the end of Cabbage Tree Rd, Grose Vale, believed to have been caused by power lines in the Grose Valley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Constance</span> New South Wales politician

Andrew James Constance is an Australian politician who represented Bega for the Liberal Party in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly between 2003 and December 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1994 eastern seaboard fires</span>

The 1994 eastern seaboard fires were significant Australian bushfires that occurred in New South Wales, Australia during the bushfire season of 1993–1994. Some 20,000 firefighters were deployed against some 800 fires throughout the state, and along the coast and ranges from Batemans Bay in the south to the Queensland border in the north, including populated areas of the city of Sydney, the Blue Mountains and the Central Coast. The fires caused mass evacuations of many thousands of people, claimed four lives, destroyed some 225 homes and burned out 800,000 hectares of bushland. The firefighting effort raised in response was one of the largest seen in Australian history.

Michael John Maher was an Australian politician. Born in Sydney, he attended De La Salle College Ashfield and the University of Sydney and became a solicitor. A member of the Labor Party, he was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly at the 1973 election, representing the seat of Drummoyne. He held Drummoyne until resigning to contest the 1982 Lowe by-election, caused by the resignation of former Liberal Prime Minister William McMahon. Maher was successful, and held the seat until 1987, when he was defeated by Bob Woods. Michael Maher was described in 2000 by a subsequent ALP Member for Lowe, John Murphy, as 'one of the most genuine and most loved members to grace this House'.

Catherine Eileen Cusack is a former Australian politician who was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council, representing the Liberal Party. She was first elected as an opposition member on 22 March 2003 and was re-elected in 2011 and 2019 when her party won government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2005–06 Australian bushfire season</span>

A moderately extensive bushfire season, particularly in western Victoria where fires were most prominent, occurred in mid-late January 2006 as conditions persisted across the state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bushfires in Australia</span> Frequently occurring wildfire events

Bushfires in Australia are a widespread and regular occurrence that have contributed significantly to shaping the nature of the continent over millions of years. Eastern Australia is one of the most fire-prone regions of the world, and its predominant eucalyptus forests have evolved to thrive on the phenomenon of bushfire. However, the fires can cause significant property damage and loss of both human and animal life. Bushfires have killed approximately 800 people in Australia since 1851, and billions of animals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Elliott (politician)</span> Australian politician

David Andrew Elliott is a retired Australian politician. Elliott served as the New South Wales Minister for Transport and the Minister for Veterans in the Perrottet ministry between 21 December 2021 and 25 March 2023. Elliott was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Baulkham Hills for the Liberal Party between 2011 and 2023.

The Agent-General for New South Wales is the representative of the State of New South Wales in the United Kingdom who is responsible for the promotion of New South Wales' trade and economic interests in the United Kingdom, Europe and Israel. The holder is a state government public servant, as part of the Investment NSW agency, and also concurrently serves as New South Wales' Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner for Europe and Israel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019–20 Australian bushfire season</span> Major natural disaster

The 2019–20 Australian bushfire season, or Black Summer, was one of the most intense and catastrophic fire seasons on record in Australia. It included a period of bushfires in many parts of Australia, which, due to its unusual intensity, size, duration, and uncontrollable dimension, was considered a megafire by media at the time. Exceptionally dry conditions, a lack of soil moisture, and early fires in Central Queensland led to an early start to the bushfire season, beginning in June 2019. Hundreds of fires burnt, mainly in the southeast of the country, until May 2020. The most severe fires peaked from December 2019 to January 2020.

References

  1. ↑ Clark, Peter (11 October 1993). "Bushfire law to duplicate NSW's". Canberra Times . Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  2. ↑ "Firefighters bracing for worst as winds pick up". Canberra Times. 5 January 1994. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  3. ↑ Harry Woods, Member for Page (3 February 1994). "NEW SOUTH WALES BUSHFIRES". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . Commonwealth of Australia: House of Representatives. pp. 270–271.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Paxton, Gilly; Bell, Anne, eds. (1994). "Table 1; Emergency Appointments". Bush Fire Bulletin. 16 (1). Department of Bush Fire Services: 45. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Paxton, Gilly, ed. (1994). "Corrections to the Last Issue of the Bulletin; Table 3, Losses by Local Government Area". Bush Fire Bulletin. 16 (2). Department of Bush Fire Services: 25. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  6. ↑ Fitzpatrick, Eamonn (10 January 1994). "Central Coast optimism". Sydney Morning Herald . p. 4.
  7. ↑ Phillip Ruddock, Member for Berowra (3 February 1994). "NEW SOUTH WALES BUSHFIRES". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . Commonwealth of Australia: House of Representatives. pp. 276–277.
  8. ↑ Tubb, Rochelle (30 January 1994). "Bush houses lost in fire". Sydney Morning Herald . p. 20.
  9. ↑ Peter Morris, Member for Shortland (3 February 1994). "New South Wales Bushfires". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . Commonwealth of Australia: House of Representatives. pp. 278–279.
  10. ↑ Sandham, Sonya; Nicole Taylor (4 January 1994). "Fires force hundreds to flee". Sydney Morning Herald . p. 1.
  11. ↑ "At Sydney on Friday, 31 May 2002" (PDF). parliament.nsw.gov.au. Joint Select Committee on Bushfires. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  12. ↑ Davey, Karen (16 January 1994). "Life's work gone in 2 fatal hours". Sydney Morning Herald . p. 16.
  13. 1 2 3 "Prayers answered as fires ease". Canberra Times. 10 January 1994. p. 1. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  14. 1 2 Connell, Jennifer; Keith Gosman (10 January 1994). "Spot fires keep suburbs on alert". Sydney Morning Herald . p. 2.
  15. ↑ Mullins, G. "The Interface Fire Problem – An Urban Fire Service Perspective" (PDF). New South Wales Fire Brigades. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 October 2016. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  16. ↑ Cantlon, Gavin; Steve Warnock; Robyn Willis (9 January 1994). "Mates rescue war veterans". Sydney Morning Herald . p. 4.
  17. ↑ Robert Horne, Member for Paterson (3 February 1994). "New South Wales Bushfires". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . Commonwealth of Australia: House of Representatives. pp. 282–284.
  18. ↑ Mutton, Sheree (9 January 2014). "Shire fire horror still lingers 20 years on". St George & Sutherland Shire Leader. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  19. ↑ Scott Morrison, Member for Cook (11 February 2009). "Victorian Bushfire Victims - Condolences". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . Commonwealth of Australia: House of Representatives. p. 1018.
  20. ↑ Gilmore, Helen; Rochelle Tubb (16 January 1994). "Nature's violence unites a community". Sydney Morning Herald . p. 14.
  21. ↑ Westbrook, Tom (22 September 2014). "NSW Conservation Council calls for review of 10/50 vegetation clearing code". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  22. ↑ David Miles Connolly, Member for Bradfield (3 February 1994). "NEW SOUTH WALES BUSHFIRES". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . Commonwealth of Australia: House of Representatives. pp. 268–270.
  23. ↑ Chater, Jenny; Steve Offner (13 January 1994). "'We didn't even know it was close'". Sydney Morning Herald . p. 46.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.