2003 Canberra bushfires

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2003 Canberra bushfires
Date(s)	8–21 January 2003
Location	Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
Statistics
Land use	Urban/rural fringe areas, farmland and forest reserves
Impacts
Deaths	4
Non-fatal injuries	435
Structures destroyed	488
Damage	$350 million
Ignition
Cause	Lightning strikes in Brindabella and Namadgi National Parks

The 2003 Canberra bushfires caused severe damage to the suburbs and outer areas of Canberra, the capital city of Australia, during 18–22 January 2003. Almost 70% of the Australian Capital Territory's (ACT) pastures, pine plantations, and nature parks were severely damaged,^[1] and most of the Mount Stromlo Observatory was destroyed. After burning for a week around the edges of the ACT, the fires entered the suburbs of Canberra on 18 January 2003. Over the next ten hours, four people died, over 490 were injured, and 470 homes were destroyed or severely damaged, requiring a significant relief and reconstruction effort.