1943–44 Australian bushfire season

none May 2013 September 2022 thumb|300x300px|1943–44 Victorian bushfire season map 1943–44 Australian bushfire season Australia December 1943 – February 1944 1,000,000 ha 51 700 650 true 1942–43 Australian bushfire season 1944–45 Australian bushfire season A series of major bushfires following severe drought conditions in the state of Victoria in Australia, occurred during the summer of 1943–44. It was the driest summer ever recorded in Melbourne until 2002 with just 46 mm in 2 or falling, a third of the long-term average.The Beaumaris Bushfires of 1944 kingston historical website City of Kingston http://localhistory.kingston.vic.gov.au/htm/article/319.htm 2009-06-15 https://web.archive.org/web/20090615082605/http://localhistory.kingston.vic.gov.au/htm/article/319.htm 15 June 2009 live Between 22 December 1943 and 15 February 1944, burnt an estimated one million ha,1301.0 – Year Book Australia, 2004 – Bushfires 27 February 2004 ABS https://www.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/abs@.nsf/0/CCB3F2E90BA779D3CA256DEA00053977?opendocument 51 people were killed, 700 injured, and 650 buildings were destroyed across the state.Western, Central and Southern Victoria: Bushfires EMA Disasters Database Emergency Management Australia http://www.ema.gov.au/ema/emadisasters.nsf/6a1bf6b4b60f6f05ca256d1200179a5b/0b786be0a48e7fe5ca256d3300057c3b?OpenDocument 2009-06-15 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20110927052437/http://www.ema.gov.au/ema/emadisasters.nsf/6a1bf6b4b60f6f05ca256d1200179a5b/0b786be0a48e7fe5ca256d3300057c3b?OpenDocument 27 September 2011 Many personnel who would have been normally available for fire fighting duties had been posted overseas and to remote areas of Australia during World War II. Timeline December–January The first major fire was a grassfire at Wangarrata on 22 December which burnt hundreds of hectares and resulted in 10 deaths. On 14 January and the following day, fires broke out across the state. To the west of Melbourne, a series of bushfires broke out between South Australian border and the outskirts of Geelong including areas near the towns of Hamilton, Skipton, Dunkeld, Birregurra and Goroke. Many smaller towns were substantially damaged. In Derrinallum, the only buildings left standing were the Mechanics' Institute, two churches and several business premises.Blair's guide: travel guide to Victoria and Melbourne Blair, Suzanne J. Blair's Guides 1987 0-7316-0506-3 In central Victoria, fires occurred near Daylesford, Woodend, Gisborne and Bendigo. In the Melbourne area, 63 homes were destroyed at Beaumaris and another 5 in the Glenroy – Pascoe Vale area.First (and interim) report on bush fire at Yallourn on February 14th, 1944, with particular reference to report of Royal Commission of Inquiry, March 1944. Victoria. State Electricity Commission http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/miscreports/gid/slv-rpt-aaa35615 2009-06-15 https://web.archive.org/web/20090519063119/http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/miscreports/gid/slv-rpt-aaa35615 19 May 2009 dead On 14 February a fire broke out near Yallourn. In Hernes Oak, 16 houses and the post office were destroyed while 80 houses were destroyed and 6 lives lost in the Morwell district and 40 houses destroyed and 3 deaths occurred in the Traralgon area. A major outcome following the fires was a Royal Commission led by Judge Leonard Stretton and the establishment of the Country Fire Authority in 1945 to co-ordinate rural fire brigades. References Victoria (state) 1943 Category:1940s fires in Oceania Category:1943 fires Category:1944 disasters in Oceania Category:1944 fires Category:1940s wildfires Category:1943 in the environment Category:1944 in the environment Category:1940s in Victoria (state) Category:1943 disasters in Australia Category:1944 in Australia