2006 Junee Bushfire

Climate and weather setting

On the morning of 1 January, the NSW Rural Fire Service issued a warning that temperatures would "...reach 43 degrees in some parts of the state, winds will gust up to 60 km/h from the northwest and humidity is expected to drop below 15 percent". A statewide total fire ban had already been declared from midnight 30 December 2005 to midnight 1 January 2006 in preparation for the severe conditions, and farmers in the south west of the state, including the Riverina region, were warned to stop harvesting crops to prevent machinery starting fires in paddocks.

1 January 2006 was the hottest day of the year across much of New South Wales, including at Wilcannia, which observed the highest daily maximum temperature recorded in the state all year at 47.3 C. The day also witnessed the 5th hottest day ever recorded at Observatory Hill in Sydney, as the temperature reached 44.2 C. In the Riverina, Wagga Wagga—approx. 35 km south of Junee—observed a temperature of 44.6 C, while Gundagai—approx. 50 km Southeast of Junee—observed 43.1 C.

Fire timeline

At approximately 13:00 AEDT (UTC+11) the NSW Rural Fire Service received a call about a fire burning in a lucerne paddock near the Jail Break Inn, a café on the intersection of the Olympic Highway and Goldfields Way, 8 km west of the Junee township. The prevailing winds caused the fire front to spread rapidly east towards Junee township over the next hour, and many residents were evacuated to Junee Bowling Club; it was during the two hours following 14:00 AEDT (UTC+11) that the majority of residential property was destroyed in and around the southern vicinity of Junee township, and the fire front jumped Harefield Rd. Some time after 16:00 AEDT (UTC+11), a cold front with predominantly southerly winds passed through the fire ground, prompting the fire front to move in a more northerly direction, towards Illabo. During the first 9 hours, the fire had spread 38 km from the point of ignition and prompted the closure of the Olympic Highway and the Main Southern Railway line.

On 3 January, Junee Shire was declared a natural disaster zone, pursuant to the State Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements, and those affected were able to claim assistance funding.

References

References

1. Knox, Joe. (2006). "Grassfire spreads 38 km in New Year heat; Junee Section 44 - Jail Break Inn". [[New South Wales Rural Fire Service]].
2. (4 January 2016). "Former Junee Mayor reflects on 10-year anniversary of New Year's Day bushfire". [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]].
3. (2 January 2006). "State counts the bushfire losses". [[Fairfax Media]].
4. (6 January 2006). "Generous support coming in for farmers affected by bushfires". New South Wales Government.
5. "Junee Fire Extent". [[Junee Shire Council]].
6. (29 January 2006). "Smokers urged to dispose of butts safely". [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]].
7. (25 February 2010). "Breakthrough for burns victims". [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]].
8. (6 January 2006). "Injured firefighter to get skin grafts". [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]].
9. (26 June 2006). "Getting back to the land". [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]].
10. (1 January 2006). "High Alert for New Year's Day". [[NSW Rural Fire Service]].
11. (2006). "Annual Climate Summary - 2006". Bureau of Meteorology.
12. (2006). "Annual Climate Summary - 2006". Bureau of Meteorology.
13. (3 January 2007). "Annual Climate Summary for New South Wales; El Niño brings an exceptionally hot and very dry year". [[Bureau of Meteorology]].
14. (4 January 2006). "Natural disasters declared in Australian bushfire areas". NZME. Publishing.