2022–23 Australian bushfire season

The 2022–23 Australian bushfire season was the season of summer bushfires in Australia. The outlook for the season was below average in coastal parts of south-eastern Australia due to high rainfall associated with the continued La Niña climatic pattern. Elevated fire danger was forecast in Central Australia, inland New South Wales, western Tasmania, southern Queensland and Western Australia, particularly toward the end of the season where drier weather and high fuel loads were expected.[1]

2022–23 Australian bushfire season
LocationAustralia
Statistics
Date(s)November 2022 – April 2023
Buildings destroyed39
Deaths0
Season

Fires by state or territory

New South Wales

In early March 2023, lightning strikes ignited the Alpha Road Tambaroora blaze in the Central West region of the state, near Hill End. The fire burnt out 18,000 hectares, destroyed six homes and five buildings. Around 200 head of livestock were lost.[2][3]

On March 16, a vehicle driving through long grass sparked the Curraweela Bushfire north of Crookwell in the Southern Tablelands. The fire burnt over 4,400 hectares, destroyed one home and 17 buildings. Three further homes damaged and close to 100 livestock lost.[4][5]

Tasmania

On 27 December 2022, a small yet fierce fire close to the town of Rosebery destroyed a hostel accommodation building.[6]

Northern Territory

In March 2023, a large fire in the MacDonnell Ranges (Tjoritja) region of Central Australia, burnt out around 100,000 hectares including 20% of the Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park. Conservationists called it an environmental tragedy that was fuelled by climate change and the overgrowth of the invasive buffel grass weed.[7]

Queensland

From 30 January to 24 March 2023, the Western Downs bushfires burnt over 150,000 hectares of land, destroying around 20 buildings.[8]

Western Australia

In February 2023, a series of bushfires sparked by lightning burnt across a large section of southern Western Australia.[9] A Boeing 737 that was converted into a fire-fighting aircraft, crashed while conducting operations to control a fire near Hopetoun. While the plane was destroyed, the two pilots on board managed to walk away with only minor injuries. This was the first ever hull loss of a Boeing 737 to occur in Australia.[10]

References
  1. "Seasonal Bushfire Outlook Summer 2022". afac. National Council for Fire and Emergency Services. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  2. Gorman, Mollie; Gregory, Xanthe (15 March 2023). "Homes destroyed, hundreds of sheep euthanased as toll from Hill End fire rises". ABC News. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  3. "16,000ha fire returns to Watch and Act level in NSW Central West". ABC News. 9 March 2023. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  4. "Police outline suspected cause of large blaze near Taralga". Goulburn Post. 14 April 2023. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  5. "'Absolute chaos': Landholders scurry to shift stock from fast moving fire". Goulburn Post. 24 March 2023. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  6. Bovill, Monte (28 December 2022). "Rosebery fire on Tasmania's west coast 'burned down essential accommodation amid housing shortage'". ABC News. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  7. Cox, Lisa (29 March 2023). "Environmental tragedy as fires burn through one-fifth of Northern Territory national park". The Guardian Australia. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  8. Lavelle, Laura; Iorio, Kelsie (15 February 2023). "Bushfire-affected residents have 'lost everything' as firefighters continue to battle massive Western Downs blazes". ABC News. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  9. Barr, Peter (22 February 2023). "Farmers, authorities assessing the damage after bushfires hit southern WA". ABC News. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  10. Perpitch, Nicholas (7 February 2023). "Boeing 737 crash pilots walk away from fiery wreckage as Mark McGowan hails their survival a 'miracle'". ABC News. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
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