South Australian Country Fire Service Promotions Unit

Raising awareness of the roles, training and activities of CFS Volunteers state-wide


Ash Wednesday Commemoration
Submitted On	Sunday, February 16, 2014
Submitted By	Ashes

The 31st Anniversary of the Ash Wednesday bushfires that swept through parts of South Australia and Victoria is being commemorated on Sunday the 16th of February 2014. The Ash Wednesday bushfires were among the worst to ever be experienced in Australias history, causing widespread devastation across South Australia and Victoria. 75 people lost their lives that day, 28 from South Australia and 47 from Victoria. Of those who died in South Australia, three were CFS firefighters and details can be found here: Memorials. The Ash Wednesday bushfires left a trail of destruction as they burnt through 158,938 hectares across SA. More than 380 houses were seriously damaged or destroyed, and over 250,000 livestock were lost.