Fire on the Limestone Plains/Bush Fires/Bush Fire Season's The 1990's

The 1990's Bush Fire Season's
Up to 1990 the record number of fires in a year for ACT Bushfire Service was around 160. In the 1990/91 bush fire season 280 fires were attended. In the 1993/94 bush fire season over 300 fires were attended. The 1997-98 Prescribed Bushfire Season started on the 1 October 1997, and finished on the 30 April 1998. Overall there were 24 TOBAN's called with over 670 incidents attended.

The 1990/91 Bushfire Season
The Prescribed Bush Fire Season commenced on 1 November 1990 and was extended in the A.C.T. until midnight 14 April 1991. The Pre-Bush Fire Season (1 July to 31 October 1990) had 16 fires burning out a total of 93 hectares. There were 280 fires fought during the season, with 28 over 5 hectares.The largest in 6 years near Molonglo Sewage Treatment Works on 11 January 1991 burnt 598 hectares.

1997/98 A.C.T. Bushfire Season
The 1997-98 Prescribed Bushfire Season started early on the 1 October 1997, and finally finished on the 30 April 1998. There were 24 TOBAN's called with over 670 incidents attended.


 * Hindmarsh Drive Symonston - 19 November 1997 burnt out around 10 hectares (25 acres)
 * Mount MacDonald - Wednesday 26 November 1997 the fire burnt out around 6 hectares (15 acres) of pine plantation.
 * Point Hut Crossinmg - 19 December 1997 burnt out 10 hectares (25 acres) of grassland.
 * Gossan Hill - 19 December 1997 burnt out 15 hectares (38 acres) of grassland.
 * Yass River Road (N.S.W.) 22 December 1997 the fire which started around 2.00pm at the junction of Yass River Road and Corrigans Road (20 km south-east of Yass), burnt out around 3000 hectares of pasture and scrub with some stock losses.
 * Mount Taylor 24 to 27 December 1997 about 50 hectares (125 acres) of grassland/native (Eucalypt) bush was burnt out.
 * Monaro Highway, Hume - 26 December 1997 the fire was reported at 2.25pm and burnt out 24 hectares (60 acres) of grassland and pasture.
 * Dingi Dingi Range - 2 January 1998 the fire was started by a lightning strike late Thursday afternoon 1 January 1998 and burnt out 200 hectares (500 acres) of native (Eucalypt) forest.
 * Melrose Pines - 28 January 1998 the fire was detected around 4.30pm and burnt out 60 hectares (150 acres) including 40 hectares (100 acres) in adjoining New South Wales and 10 hectares (25 acres) of pine plantation the rest was native (Eucalypt) bush and grassland. A number of properties were also threatened.
 * Lower Molonglo River (Huntley) - 24 February 1998
 * Lakes Road, Bungendore (NSW) - 13 March 1998 the fire started around 9.55am on the Lake Road in the vicinity of the "Douglas" property. and burnt out around 900 hectares (2250 acres) of pasture and native (Eucalypt) bush, with one structure lost and another damaged.
 * Red Hill - 22 March 1998 burntout 25 hectares (63 acres) of grassland & native (Eucalypt) bush.