History and major fires

2 min read

CFA’s history has been shaped by major fires and key moments over time. This section brings together CFA’s history timeline and the major fires that have influenced how the organisation and its response have evolved.

Explore the pages below to learn about CFA’s history and the major fires that have shaped the organisation and its response across Victoria.

History of CFA

  • 6 min read

From informal beginnings, CFA has grown to be one of the largest volunteer-based emergency service organisations in the world. Find a brief snapshot of CFA's history in pictures, from the 1850s until today.

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warracknabeal-main-street-1920s
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2019-2020 Bushfires

  • 5 min read

The Black Summer bushfires of 2019-2020 were among Australia's most devastating, with intense and widespread fires causing catastrophic damage across Victoria and New South Wales. These "megafires" destroyed homes, wildlife habitats, and ecosystems, ...

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Extreme conditions in North East Victoria
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Black Saturday 2009

  • 7 min read

The 2009 bushfires in January and February ravaged many parts of Victoria and touched directly and indirectly many millions of people in the state, across Australia and internationally. One hundred and seventy three people died, thousands of homes an ...

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Linton Bushfire 1998

  • 5 min read

The tragic loss of five firefighters in the Linton blaze on 2 December 1998 marked the beginning of a new era for firefighter safety at CFA.

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linton-1998-fire-burnt-out-truck
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Ash Wednesday 1983

  • 5 min read

On February 16 1983, CFA was involved in 180 fires throughout Victoria, eight of which were major fires. This day is known as Ash Wednesday

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Forest after bushfires
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Tarrawingee Fire 1943

  • 6 min read

On 22 December 1943, in the depths of World War Two, a fire broke out at Bowser railway yard near the Hume Highway. High temperatures and hot northerly winds combined to create a raging fire. Tragically, the fire claimed the lives of 10 men.

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Tarrawingee fires
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Black Friday 1939

  • 7 min read

The ferocity of the January 1939 bushfires was unlike anything Victoria had ever experienced at the time, claiming 71 lives and 2 million hectares of land.

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The Black Friday fires and the birth of CFA
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Other major fires

  • 6 min read

Information on significant fires across Victoria’s history and their influence on CFA’s development, preparedness and response to bushfire and emergency events.

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Page last updated: Monday, 15 June 2026 5:08:55 PM