Learning from experience: how the 2020 bushfires response built on Black Saturday

Applying the lessons of Black Saturday around communication and coordination helped authorities protect communities during last summer’s terrible bushfires.

One of the remarkable things about the 2020-21 bushfires is that, despite burning an area far larger than those of Black Saturday, they also led to a much smaller number of deaths.

Whereas 173 people died in the Black Saturday fires, that figure was only 34 for the most recent season.

“The difference this year I think [was] we were really able to capitalise on the learnings from Black Saturday to prevent another number like 173,” says Chris Eagle, deputy chief fire officer at Forest Fire Management Victoria.