Wildfires in Australia today
So far in 2026, 17,473,370 hectares have burned in Australia — 50% below the 20-year average. Right now 1 wildfire is burning.
17,473,370 hectares so far this year, 50% below the average. Out of the 26 countries the European system tracks, Australia ranks 16th for area burned relative to its average.
Named fires in Victoria, Australia
Detailed reports with satellite imagery and data.
See all named fires in Australia →Fire danger today
Official rating from VicEmergency (State of Victoria).
Source: State of Victoria (VicEmergency)
Burning right now “Contained” doesn’t mean out. It’s the share of the perimeter where crews stopped the spread. In most of Europe it isn’t published; “not held back yet” is an official 0%.
See all fires in Victoria →We email you when satellites detect new fire in the area. Free, no account.
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Victoria has suffered some of the deadliest bushfires in the world. Its mountain ash and mixed eucalypt forests, the grasslands of the west and the bush on Melbourne's urban fringe can all carry fast, intense fires on hot days with strong northerly winds.
Bushfires in Victoria are fought by the Country Fire Authority (CFA), Forest Fire Management Victoria and Fire Rescue Victoria, and official warnings are published on VicEmergency. This map shows every fire hotspot detected by NASA satellites in Victoria, together with the named fires we track.
Today across Australia
Three fires are still burning in Australia, covering some 950 hectares between them. The biggest by far is near Dajarra, at around 500 hectares. Eight more broke out over the past week.
It is a quiet year. Australia has lost 17,369,357 hectares so far, well below its usual 34,770,448 hectares—the 16th worst figure among the 26 countries Copernicus tracks.
Around Dajarra it is hot and dry, with a gentle wind and no rain in sight over the next 48 hours.
Updated 19 Oct
Victoria wildfire season
Victoria's fire season usually runs from late spring to early autumn, with the most dangerous conditions in January and February. The CFA declares the Fire Danger Period municipality by municipality, typically from November or December until April or May.
Extreme days follow a familiar pattern: days of heat, a strong hot northerly wind, then a south-westerly change that turns the long flank of a fire into a wide new front.
Notable wildfires in history
- 2019-20 East Gippsland fires
Around 1.5 million hectares burned in Victoria during the Black Summer, and thousands of residents and holidaymakers sheltered on the beach and wharf at Mallacoota as the fire reached the town.
- 2009 Black Saturday
On 7 February 2009 fires across the state killed 173 people and destroyed more than 2,000 homes, including most of Marysville and Kinglake. It is Australia's deadliest bushfire disaster.
- 1983 Ash Wednesday
Fires on 16 February 1983 killed 47 people in Victoria (75 including South Australia), from the Dandenong Ranges to the Otways.
- 1939 Black Friday
Fires in January 1939 burned around 2 million hectares and killed 71 people, leading to the Royal Commission that reshaped forest fire management.
Main causes & risk factors
- Hot, dry northerly winds from the interior followed by a south-westerly change
- Tall mountain ash and eucalypt forests that throw embers kilometres ahead
- Homes built in and around bushland on the Melbourne fringe
- Dry lightning in the high country and East Gippsland
Safety & preparedness
- Check the Fire Danger Rating and VicEmergency warnings every day in season
- On Extreme and Catastrophic days, leaving early is the safest option
- Know your nearest Neighbourhood Safer Place, a last-resort option
- Prepare your property: clear gutters and cut back vegetation
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Frequently asked questions
When is bushfire season in Victoria?
From late spring to early autumn, with the most dangerous conditions in January and February. The CFA declares the Fire Danger Period by municipality.
What was Black Saturday?
On 7 February 2009 bushfires across Victoria killed 173 people and destroyed more than 2,000 homes. It is Australia's deadliest bushfire disaster.
Where are official bushfire warnings for Victoria published?
On VicEmergency, the state's official website and app for warnings and incidents.
Where does this map's data come from?
Fire hotspots come from NASA's FIRMS satellites, which detect active fires several times a day.