The Black Sunday bushfires were a series of

bushfires A wildfire, forest fire, bushfire, wildland fire or rural fire is an unplanned, uncontrolled and unpredictable fire in an area of combustible vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire may be more specifically identif ...

that broke out across

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...

on 2 January 1955. Extreme morning temperatures coupled with strong north-westerly winds contributed to the breakout of numerous fires in Adelaide Hills, Jamestown, Waterloo, Kingston and Millicent. Most were caused by sparks from powerlines in the wind. Around 1,000

Emergency Fire Service The Emergency Fire Service (EFS) was the fire and emergency service that operated in rural areas of South Australia in the 20th century. In 1979, with the passing of the Country Fires Act in the South Australian Parliament, the EFS was renamed the ...

volunteers from 60

brigade A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division. Br ...

s were tasked to the fires, but were overwhelmed. At 10am, the EFS head office requested urgent public assistance. Around 2,500 citizens volunteered. The fires were contained by 9:30pm, thanks largely to a fortuitous change in the weather and widespread public assistance. The fires resulted in two deaths, destroyed 40 homes and numerous other buildings, and caused more than 4 million worth of property damage, most notably the destruction of the Governor's summer residence at Marble Hill. Governor Robert George, his family and staff were lucky to escape with their lives. The Premier,

Sir Thomas Playford Sir Thomas Playford (5 July 1896 – 16 June 1981) was an Australian politician from the state of South Australia. He served continuously as Premier of South Australia and leader of the Liberal and Country League (LCL) from 5 November 1938 to 10 ...

, also narrowly escaped death, sheltering with five other men in a patch of hoed earth near

Cherryville Cherryville may refer to one of the following places: * Cherryville, British Columbia * Cherryville, Missouri * Cherryville, New Jersey * Cherryville, North Carolina * Cherryville, Oregon * Cherryville, Pennsylvania * Cherryville, South Australi ...

. The burnt area was estimated at as much as stretching from

One Tree Hill One Tree Hill may refer to: * "One Tree Hill" (song), a 1987 song by U2 referencing One Tree Hill, New Zealand volcanic peak * ''One Tree Hill'' (TV series), a 2003–2012 American drama series named for the U2 song ** ''One Tree Hill'' (soundtr ...

to Strathalbyn; however, other sources put the area at closer to .

References

Bushfires in South Australia 1955 fires in Oceania 1955 in Australia 1950s wildfires 1955 natural disasters 1950s in South Australia January 1955 events in Australia {{Australia-hist-stub

See also

References