The 1967 Tasmanian fires were an Australian natural disaster which occurred on 7 February 1967, an event which became known as the Black Tuesday bushfires. They were the most deadly bushfires that Tasmania has ever experienced, leaving over 60 people dead and many thousands homeless.^[1] Mount Pinatubo eruption, 1991 A natural disaster is the consequence of a natural hazard (e. ... is the 38th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. ... Black Tuesday refers to a number of different things: The Wall Street Crash of 1929. ... Backburning in Townsville, Australia. ... Slogan or Nickname: The Apple Isle; Holiday Isle Motto(s): Ubertas et Fidelitas (Fertility and Faithfulness) Other Australian states and territories Capital Hobart Government Constitutional monarchy Governor William Cox Premier Paul Lennon (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 5  - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2004-05)  - Product ($m)  $16,114...

Extent of the fires

As many as 110 separate fire fronts burnt through some 2,642.7 square kilometres (653,025.4 acres) of land in Southern Tasmania within the space of five hours. Fires raged from near Hamilton, Tasmania and Bothwell, Tasmania to the D'Entrecasteaux Channel. There was extensive damage to agricultural property in the Channel, the Derwent Valley and the Huon Valley. Fires also destroyed forest, public infrastructure and properties around Mount Wellington and many small towns along the Derwent estuary and east of Hobart. yup okay Slogan or Nickname: The Apple Isle; Holiday Isle Motto(s): Ubertas et Fidelitas (Fertility and Faithfulness) Other Australian states and territories Capital Hobart Government Constitutional monarchy Governor William Cox Premier Paul Lennon (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 5  - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2004-05)  - Product ($m)  $16,114... Hamilton, postcode 7140, is a small country town about 1 day and a quarter hours drive from Hobart. ... Bothwell, Tasmania is a small town with a population of about 500. ... South East Tasmania with DEntrecasteaux Channel highlighted. ... (For the Derwent Valley in Derbyshire, England, see River Derwent, Derbyshire, Upper Derwent Valley and Derwent Valley Mills. ... Municipality of Huon Valley, Tasmania The Huon Valley is a local government area of Tasmania. ... Mount Wellington is the mountain on whose foothills is built much of the city of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. ... Derwent is the name of several rivers: Australia: Derwent River, Tasmania United Kingdom: River Derwent, Derbyshire, England; see also Upper Derwent Valley River Derwent, County Durham, England River Derwent, Cumbria, England, also the lake Derwent Water in the Lake District River Derwent, Yorkshire, England and also of one settlement: Derwent... Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. ...

Death toll

The worst of the fires was the Hobart Fire, which encroached upon the city of Hobart. In total, the fires claimed 62 lives in a single day. 52 people died in the Hobart area. Property loss was also extensive with around 1400 homes destroyed. The 1967 Hobart Fire occured on the 7th of February Bushfires in Tasmania are extremely rare, because of its mild and moist climate. ... Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. ... Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. ...

Causes

The late winter and early spring of 1966 had been wet over southeastern Tasmania, giving a large amount of growth by November. However, in November, Tasmania began its driest eight-month period since 1885, and by the end of January 1967 the dryness had dried off the luxuriant growth provided by the early spring rains in the area. Though January was a cool month, hot weather began early in February, so that in the days leading up to 7 February 1967, several bushfires were burning uncontrolled in the areas concerned. Some of these fires had been deliberately lit for backburning despite the extremely dry conditions at the time. Reports into the causes of the fire stated that only 22 of the 110 fires were started accidentally. Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. ... is the 38th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. ...

Shortly before midday on the 7th, a combination of extremely high temperatures, (the maximum was 39 °C (102° F)), very low humidity and very strong winds from the north-west led to disaster.

Interestingly, although this fire was by far the worst in terms of loss of life and property in Tasmanian history, the meteorological conditions are not totally uncommon there. McArthur's report[1] on the fire notes that 'very similar conditions have occurred on three or four occasions during the past 70 years'.

Comparison with other major Australian bushfires

If considered in terms of both loss of property and loss of life, in 1967 this represented one of the worst disasters to have occurred in Australia. It is comparable in scale with the 1939 Black Friday bushfires in Victoria (where the loss of 72 lives was nevertheless spread over several days) and the subsequent 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfires in Victoria and South Australia, which claimed 75 lives and razed over 2,000 homes. Year 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... beutifle noghmare is the best band In the days preceding the fires, Melbourne experienced some of its hottest temperatures on record: 43. ... Motto: Peace and Prosperity Other Australian states and territories Capital Melbourne Governor HE Mr John Landy Premier Steve Bracks (ALP) Area 237,629 km² (6th)  - Land 227,416 km²  - Water 10,213 km² (4. ... Year 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar). ... The ASH WEDNESDAY FIRES were a series of bush fires which occurred on February 16, 1983 in south-east Australia, resulting in a natural disaster. ... Motto: Peace and Prosperity Other Australian states and territories Capital Melbourne Governor HE Mr John Landy Premier Steve Bracks (ALP) Area 237,629 km² (6th)  - Land 227,416 km²  - Water 10,213 km² (4. ... Capital Adelaide Government Constitutional monarchy Governor Marjorie Jackson-Nelson Premier Mike Rann (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 11  - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2004-05)  - Product ($m)  $59,819 (5th)  - Product per capita  $38,838/person (7th) Population (End of September 2006)  - Population  1,558,200 (5th)  - Density  1. ...

References

Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 44th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Further reading

• Chambers, D.M. and Brettingham-Moore, C.G. (1967) The bush fire disaster of 7th February, 1967 : report and summary of evidence (excluding appendices) ( Solicitor-General (Mr. D. M. Chambers) and the Master and Registrar of the Supreme Court (Mr. C. G. Brettingham-Moore) Office of the Solicitor-General. Hobart,Tasmania.
• Wettenhall, R. L. (1975) Bushfire disaster : an Australian community in crisis Sydney : Angus & Robertson. ISBN 0207129215

See also

• List of disasters in Australia by death toll
• Bushfire