Australia: Bushfire season 2019-20 (Black summer)

Introduction

The 2019-2020 Australian bushfire season proved to be unprecedented in many ways. Beginning before the official arrival of spring, in June, and worsening significantly from Sept. 2019 on to mid-January 2020.

Hazards

Wildfire

Country and region

Australia

Knowledge base

Themes

Hazards

Region & country

Content type

Research briefs

28 January 2025

As the Black Summer megafires neared, people rallied to save wildlife and domestic animals. But it came at a real cost

As the 2019-2020 megafires took hold across eastern Australia, many of us reeled at the sight of animals trying and often failing to flee. Our screens filled up with images of koalas with burned paws and possums in firefighter helmets.

Conversation Media Group, the

Documents and publications

31 January 2024

Wish you were here? The economic impact of the tourism shutdown from Australia’s 2019-20 ‘Black Summer’ bushfires

This comprehensive analysis highlighted the economic impacts of the tourism shutdown from Australia's Black Summer Bushfires. This analysis could be used for budgeting and rebuilding in community-and-industry hotspots that may be far from the burn scar.

Economics of Disasters and Climate Change (Springer)

Documents and publications

7 September 2023

Resilience policing and disaster management during Australia's Black Summer bushfire crisis

The study illustrates how institutionalized learnings, organizational and systemic reforms, and policing activities enhanced the absorptive and adaptive capabilities of police as emergency responders, emergency management networks, and local residents.

International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction (Elsevier)

Research briefs

20 July 2023

Bigger, wilder, more destructive: How cold fronts affected the Black Summer bushfires

Cold fronts play a role in making bushfires drastically worse—posing a serious concern for future bushfire events.

University of New South Wales

Update

25 June 2023

The Black Summer bushfires put an enormous strain on families with young children. We can’t make the same mistakes again

Families affected by Australia’s catastrophic Black Summer bushfires of 2019-20 found that preparing to evacuate was especially complex and physically difficult. Parents were under-prepared, and many did not have an evacuation plan.

Conversation Media Group, the

Houses with wildfire smoke in the background

Research briefs

10 May 2023

Smoke from the Black Summer fires could have made the triple La Niña more likely

New research by American scientists suggests the Black Summer fires were massive enough to influence the El Niño Southern Oscillation cycle. It’s one of the most important drivers of unusual weather over the entire globe.

Conversation Media Group, the

Woman and man look at the ruins of a home after the fire disaster.

Update

5 February 2023

200 experts dissected the Black Summer bushfires in unprecedented detail. Here are 6 lessons to heed

The Black Summer bushfires of 2019-20 were cataclysmic: a landmark in Australia’s history. They burnt more than 10 million hectares, mostly forests in southeast Australia. Many of our most distinctive, ancient and vulnerable species were worst affected.

Conversation Media Group, the

Update

31 January 2023

Understanding Black Summer through research

Science is shaping how Australia can better prepare for devastating bushfire seasons with the release of comprehensive research based on the major issues of the 2019-20 Black Summer fire season.

Natural Hazards Research Australia

Documents and publications

31 January 2023

Understanding the Black Summer bushfires through research: a summary of key findings from the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC

This report presents an integrated view of the way forward from the fires, including exploring why the 2019-20 fire season was so devastating, what new capabilities can be implemented and how Australia can best learn from its worst fire season on record.

Natural Hazards Research Australia