There are very few records regarding bushfires in the Australian Capital Territory (known at the time as Limestone Plains) from the early 1800s to the first quarter of the twentieth century.
[2] There are records of fires in the surrounding areas of modern-day Quenbeyan, Sutton, Gunning, New South Wales Wee Jasper and Goulburn as early as 1833.
[7] One in particular burnt large tracts of what is today the ACT.This fire crossed the Murrumbidgee River about noon Sunday, 1st January at a spot known as Horseshoe Bend, and was stopped the same day behind Gungahlin Homestead.
The Queanbeyan Age from Tuesday 18 January 1910 reports "The Weetangara Fire Brigade burnt several firebreaks around the various holdings before Christmas.
On my arrival I found the local Settlers and Station hands had done splendid work and had the fire checked inside Halcliffe's boundary but about 1½ mile at Paddy's River end was burning fiercely and appeared to be beaten the fighters and was unattended.
Starting one gang on Paddy's River end of the southern front to make a trail to meet the fire by raking up leaves etc.
I advised getting ten men to work immediately on this front in order to carry the fire along a small creek running into the Murrumbidgee River, thus stopping the spread in a southerly directions.
Mr. Walker agreed to this plan and rode back to call up the men, when a message came for him reporting a fresh outbreak of fire at the Mullion, near his home.
As a result of a conference held at the residence of the Chief Lands Officer on Saturday afternoon, 30th January, it was decided to send men to the fire to attempt to arrest its progress and prevent it crossing the Cotter River.
I consider it impossible that it could have started from the big fire- more than a mile away- in view of the conditions prevailing, and owing to its inaccessibility and the sparseness of grass, it seems hardly likely that it was maliciously lit.
Fortunately, however, owing to the more favourable weather, we were able to meet it in the forest and a trail of perhaps 40 miles length was made by employees of this Administration, and local landholders, which confined the fire to a great extent to the unimproved country.
From Oakey Creek across the Cotter to what is known as Vanity's Crossing to the southern front of the fire already referred to, Commission employees alone made and held this trail.
A new trail was made with the assistance of a few lessees and local landholders to a point on Swamp Creek, outside the Territory, at which time it became known that a fire was raging from the Goodradigbee River and travelling east and north-east.
The fire was confined to the north side of the Hall-Kurrajong Road, it then passed through 'Glenwood' Station, and spread into sparsely timbered country on a 5-mile front.
150,000 acres of timbered and grazing land burnt out (including 1100 hectares of pine plantation worth 300,000 pounds) and nearly 40 miles of fencing, particularly in the Tidbinbilla and Uriarra area, were destroyed.
The fire impacted the Observatory, resulting in an explosion in the Machine Shop wing due to an Oxygen Cylinder, and continued over the Cotter Road and into Kambah.
[37] In 1978–79 a high fire danger in grasslands developed in late summer when extremely hot dry weather followed a period of substantial rain and prolific grass growth.
Several fires started in the ACT and nearby regions, one in particular began after being ignited from high tension power lines near Hall, and burnt into NSW towards the village of Sutton and Lake George.
A major wind change to the south-west occurred at about 1730 hours, the fire broke out along the entire northern flank and burnt strongly to the north east.
[39][40] By the time the fire had been controlled, at about 4 am the next day, a total of 165 square kilometers (16 500 hectares) of land had been burnt; 4025ha in the ACT and 12475ha in New South Wales.
The fire caused losses in the ACT of two cottages, three sheds, machinery and stored fodder, about 5000 sheep, six horses and fencing worth $200 000.
[39][41] In the ACT a fire started on 8 January 1983 down in the Gudgenby area and spread rapidly, burning for 22 days in rugged terrain before being contained.
Although most damage occurred in the first 24 hours, rugged terrain and difficult access often prevented fire fighters from taking advantage of periods of favourable weather conditions.
As a result, several large fires occur in forest and grassland reserves in and around Canberra, three of which burnt into NSW south of Queanbeyan.
[48] At 13:31 three of our four fire towers reported a smoke plume from the northwest corner of the pines in the vicinity of the "Huntly’ Property on the Uriarra Road.
The fire crossed the Uriarra Road and threatened to run towards the Mt Stromlo pine Plantation, the Adventure Paintball Park in its path.
Around here it threatened Forest Park Riding School, Two Sisters Motel, the Yarralumla Woolshed, the Joint Services Staff College, the RSPCA and a number of sites on Heritage Lists.
[49] They threatened the suburbs of Duffy, Holder, Weston, Yarralumla and Curtin and burnt to the shores of Lake Burley Griffin, destroying 510 hectares of pine plantation.
Due to severe weather conditions experienced on the 18th the fires spread rapidly out of control across Namadgi National Park, pine plantations and leased grazing lands towards Canberra.
[53] Once the ACT Emergency Services Agency were aware of the fire an initial attack assignment consisting of 19 appliances and 13 aircraft were deployed, but due to the isolated and rough terrain there was little that could be done to limit its spread.