The 2023-24 bushfire season officially commenced on 1 August 2023 following a marked decline in rainfall, with monthly averages dropping from 73.2 mm in July 2023 to 19.2 mm by October 2023. Reduced rainfall, low soil moisture and elevated evaporation rates resulted in above-average fire potential across large areas of southern and inland Queensland. By September 2023, the Queensland Fire Department had already responded to more than 5,000 bushfires statewide, more than double the number recorded at the same point in 2022. AFAC Seasonal Bushfire Outlooks for spring and summer 2023-24 forecast a significantly more active and prolonged fire season.
Significant bushfire activity commenced across southern Queensland from July 2023, escalating rapidly from early September. On 6 September 2023, sustained fire activity in the South West Region required activation of the Regional Operations Centre and multiple Incident Control Centres. Fires were driven by heavy fuel loads following prolonged La Niña conditions in preceding years.
Bushfire activity intensified across the region between July and November 2023, with fires occurring across all areas by October. During the season, approximately 1,700 bushfire warnings were issued statewide, with 551 (32 per cent) issued for the South West Region. The Tara fire, first reported on 15 October 2023, became one of the most significant incidents of the season. By 23 October, fires were threatening homes, with flame heights reported up to 20 metres above the tree canopy. By late October, multiple large fires were burning simultaneously across the region. On 31 October 2023, the Wallangarra bushfire forced the closure of the New England Highway and required cross-border coordination between Queensland and New South Wales agencies.
Widespread rainfall in late 2023 and early 2024 eased fire conditions, with the operational period concluding on 1 February 2024.
Key statistics
- Operational period: 6 September 2023 – 1 February 2024
- Area burnt: approximately 251,976 hectares in the South West Region
- Vegetation fires recorded: more than 700, including nearly 100 that directly threatened life, property and/or livestock
- Warnings issued: ~1,700 bushfire warnings statewide, 551 warnings (32%) issued for the South West Region and 107 emergency warnings issued.
- Emergency communications: 2,580 Triple Zero calls logged with 42 Emergency Alert campaigns conducted
- Evacuations: Approximately 1,000 people registered as evacuees across the region with more than 280 residents evacuated in the Tara area alone.
Response effort:
- 1,275 personnel were deployed in the South West Region
- More than 22,000 aerial drops, delivering over 40 million litres of suppressant and retardant
- Interstate and international assistance provided by Fire and Emergency New Zealand, Emergency Management Victoria, ACT Emergency Services Agency and the AFAC National Resource Sharing Centre
Impacts:
- Two fatalities in Tara (one during property defence, one during evacuation)
- More than 130 structures destroyed, including 63 houses
- 726 damage assessments conducted
- Five firefighter injuries reported to Workplace Health and Safety Queensland
- Insurance: at the time of reporting, no publicly available estimate of insured losses specific to the Queensland South West Region bushfires has been released. Insurance impacts were captured within broader 2023–24 extreme weather loss reporting and were not disaggregated by region or hazard.