1925–26 Victorian bushfire season

1925–26 Victorian bushfire season
Date(s)January – March 1926
LocationVictoria, Australia
Impacts
Deaths60
Non-fatal injuries700
Structures destroyed1000

A series of major bushfires occurred between 26 January and 10 March 1926 in the state of Victoria in Australia.[1][2] A total of 60 people were killed with 700 injured, and 1000 buildings and 390,000 ha were destroyed across the south-east of the state.[2]

On 14 February, later referred to as Black Sunday, bushfires swept across Gippsland, the Yarra Valley, the Dandenong Ranges and the Kinglake area.[1] The fires had originated in forest areas on 26 January, but wind gusts of up to 97 km per hour led to the joining of the fire fronts on 14 February.[1] In the Warburton area, 31 deaths were recorded including 14 at Wooley's Mill in Gilderoy, 6 at Big Pats Creek and 2 at Powelltown.[2] Other affected settlements included Noojee, Erica and Kinglake, where St Mary's Church and Thompson's Hotel were amongst the buildings destroyed.[3][4]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Black Sunday". Australian Screen. Archived from the original on 14 April 2009. Retrieved 16 June 2009.
  2. ^ a b c "SE Victoria (incl Gippsland & Dandenongs): Bushfires". EMA Disasters Database. Emergency Management Australia. Retrieved 16 June 2009.[permanent dead link‍]
  3. ^ "Mass as usual for St Mary's Kinglake parish". Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne. Archived from the original on 15 April 2011. Retrieved 16 June 2009.
  4. ^ "1926 Thompson's Hotel Kinglake after Bush fire". Picture Victoria. Archived from the original on 21 June 2009. Retrieved 16 June 2009.