Bushfire statistics - fires on public land in Victoria
The following statistics for causes of fires on public land across Victoria, are based on data that has been collected over a 20-year period. Figures include the total number of fires on public land in Victoria and also the area burnt by each category of fire. Percentages are rounded to the next whole number.
For more information, also see;
- Research Report 49: Statistics 1976/77 to 1995/96
- Research Report 22: Statistics 1974/75 to 1983/84
- Research Report 12: Statistics 1972/73 to 1980/81
- Fire Protection Plans - Fire cause statistics for a particular fire district can be found in the relevant fire protection plan
| Fire Cause | Average number of fires each year | Percentage of total fires |
| Lightning | 149 | 26% |
| Deliberate | 145 | 25% |
| Agricultural | 96 | 16% |
| Campfires | 59 | 10% |
| Cigarettes/ Matches | 41 | 7% |
| Miscellaneous | 26 | 5% |
| Machinery/ Exhausts | 15 | 3% |
| Planned Burn Escapes * | 9 | 2% |
| Public Utilities | 7 | 1% |
| Cause Unknown | 37 | 6% |
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Area burnt
.
| Fire Cause | Average number of hectares burnt each year | Percentage of total area burnt |
| Lightning | 53,096 | 46% |
| Public Utilities | 16,256 | 14% |
| Deliberate | 15,649 | 14% |
| Miscellaneous | 10,009 | 9% |
| Agricultural | 7,799 | 7% |
| Planned Burn Escapes * | 5,274 | 5% |
| Machinery/ Exhausts | 2,551 | 2% |
| Campfires | 1,466 | 1% |
| Cigarettes/ Matches | 444 | >1% |
| Cause Unknown | 2,974 | 3% |
* Management of our parks and forests includes the use of planned burns for a variety of purposes such as natural fuel management and the maintenance of flora and fauna habitat. Sometimes these fires burn beyond the planned perimeter.
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