The summer of 2012–13 had above average fire potential for most of the southern half of the continent from the east coast to the west. This is despite having extensive fire in parts of the country over the last 12 months. The reason for this prediction is the abundant grass growth spurred by two La Niña events over the last two years.

Most parts of the country experienced a heat wave at the start of 2013, with a new national average maximum being set on 7 January 2013. The new record of beat the old record of that had been set on 21 December 1972. Another record that was beaten in 2013 was Australia's mean temperature, climbing from set on 21 December 1972 to on 7 January 2013.

Additionally, six of the 20 hottest days in Australian records (by average maximum) have been in January 2013.

Australia also experienced its hottest summer on average following a particularly hot spell in January. Using average day and night temperatures the average was found to be beating the previous record set in the summer of 1997–1988. Fourteen of the weather bureau's 112 long term weather stations recorded their hottest days on record including one in Sydney that recorded a daytime record of . The daytime maximum temperatures for 2012–13 also beat the 1982–83 record. Irrespective, the month of January remained the hottest month since records began in 1910.

Fires of note

State Start date Deaths Injuries Res. houses lost Other structures lost Area (ha) Local govt. Impacted communities Duration Ref. WA 12 October 2012 1 4 1,000 AlbanyTwo Peoples Bay Nature Reserve 5 days SA 12 November 2012 2 14+ 2,000 Port LincolnTulka Qld 5 December 2012 1 1 750,000 CroydonCroydon Tas 4 January 2013 1 193 180+ 20,000 Tasman & SorellBoomer Bay, Carlton River, Connelly's Marsh, Copping, Dunalley, Murdunna, Sommers Bay & Taranna 10 days Tas 4 January 2013 8 several 4,900 Glamorgan-Spring BayBicheno & Half Moon Bay 5 days NSW 6 January 2013 4 several 12,300 Snowy MonaroKybeyan Valley & Yarrabin 12 days Vic 8 January 2013 2 9 several 1,300 PyreneesBurrumbeet, Chepstowe, Carngham & Snake Valley NSW 13 January 2013 53 113 55,200 Gilgandra, Coonamble & WarrumbungleBelar Creek, Bulgaldie & Coonabarabran 41 days Vic 17 January 2013 1 21 several 87,000 WellingtonGlenmaggie, Coongulla, Newry & Seaton 43 days Vic 21 January 2013 2 36,400 AlpineHarrietville WA 14 February 2013 2 several 100 Donnybrook-BalingupGreenbushes, Hester Brook, Maranup & Southampton 1 1 several 1,300 ManjimupKin Kin WA 22 February 2013 1 several 9,400 BoddingtonQuindanning Vic 27 March 2013 4 16 18 1,300 Golden PlainsCorindhap, Dereel & Mount Mercer SA 9 May 2013 2 1 several 650 Adelaide HillsCherryville

Fires by state or territory

New South Wales

Catastrophic fire danger ratings were observed in the Bombala, Condobolin, Hay, Nowra and Wagga Wagga fire regions on 8 January and in Coonamble on 13 January. Sydney also recorded its hottest day at on 18 January.

December

On 16 December, a grass fire ignited along Geegulalong Rd., east of the community of Murringo. The fire burnt over of grassland, destroyed of fencing and 500 head of livestock died.

January

During the first week of January, several dozen fires were ignited across southern regions of the state by lightning strikes; the Greater Hume, Hilltops, Snowy Monaro, Snowy Valleys, Wagga Wagga local government areas were affected.

On 6 January, a fire was reported to have ignited along Mount Forrest Road, Cooma, following lightning activity in the region. The fire made a significant run under the influence of westerly winds gusting at up to on 8 January. During a 13-day period, the fire burned of scrub, forest and pasture in and around the Kybeyan State Conservation Area and impacted on properties within the Kybeyan Valley; 4 houses, 18 vehicles and of fencing were destroyed and 2,000 head of livestock died.

On 7 January, a fast moving grass fire ignited near the village of Oura. 140 volunteers from the RFS, six aircraft—including an Erickson Air-Crane—and four heavy plant equipment were used to try to contain the fire. Approximately of scrub, forest and pasture were burned, one vehicle was destroyed and a firefighter suffered minor injuries after being over-run by the fire in a firefighting tanker.

On 8 January, a fire ignited around Bald Hill, approximately east of Jugiong, during temperatures of and winds gusting to . During a four-day, period, the fire burned of scrub, forest and pasture and impacted on the communities of Berremangra, Bookham, Childowla, Talmo and Woolgarlo; although no houses were destroyed, a number of sheds and of fencing were destroyed and 10,200 head of livestock died.

On 12 January, a fire ignited near the Wambelong campground, on the north side of the John Renshaw Parkway and within the Warrumbungle National Park, during temperatures of up to . Steep, inaccessible terrain on the eastern and western flanks meant that the fire could not be contained or controlled on the first afternoon, despite the intervention of two fixed-wing firefighting aircraft, and the fire grew to by the morning of 13 January. Catastrophic conditions were forecast for the Coonabarabran region throughout 13 January; the weather prediction across the fireground at 10:10 AEDT was for temperatures to be up to , relative humidity at 10% with winds to be north to north-westerly at gusting to . At Coonabarabran Research Station, some from the point of ignition, a relative humidity of 28% was observed at 15:00 AEDT, and a "fresh gale" strength wind gust of from the north was recorded at 12:13 AEDT.

In the hours after midday the fire spotted across John Renshaw Parkway and breached the containment line, burning with flames of up to and impacting upon the Warrumbungle Visitors Centre, where a number of New South Wales Rural Fire Service and NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service employees were sheltering. By mid-afternoon, the fire was spreading downwind at a rate of and the NSW Police commenced evacuations to the east of the fire, including at Siding Spring Observatory. The observatory was impacted by the fire in the late afternoon, causing the destruction of three buildings in the complex; 'The Lodge' accommodation used by visiting researchers, the Director's Cottage and the Fire Station. Throughout the evening a high pyrocumulonimbus cloud formed above the blaze, creating unpredictable winds, intense spotting and other extreme meteorological conditions; the fire burned to the east, along Timor Rd., burning to within of Coonabarabran township. A southerly wind change passed through the fire ground some time after 18:00 AEDT, causing hot ash and embers to fall in Baradine, north of Coonabarabran, throughout the night and prompting the Baradine local hospital to secure the windows with damp towels to prevent the entry of smoke and ash.

Over a 41-day period, the fire burned of pasture, scrub and forest—including 95 percent of the Warrumbungles National Park—and impacted the communities of Bugaldie, Coonabarabran, Goorianawa, Quanda, Tonderburine and Warrumbungle; a hotel, three buildings at the Siding Spring Observatory, 53 houses, 130 other non-residential structures and of fencing were destroyed and 1,100 head of livestock died in the fire.

November

On 11 November, a fire ignited on private property west of Sleaford Mere, near Port Lincoln. The fire ultimately burned of scrub, grassland and pasture and impacted the community of Tulka; 14 cabins on the foreshore at Sleaford Mere, 2 homes, a caravan, a campervan, several sheds and four other vehicles were destroyed and 300 head of livestock died.

January

On 4 February, a fire ignited near Finniss during temperatures of up to in the region. During the afternoon, the fire was brought under control by 60 firefighters, supported by firefighting aircraft. Approximately of crops, farmland and vineyards were burned by the fire and a portion of rail tracks for the Steam Ranger was destroyed.

May

On 9 May, a private burn-off north of Cherryville in the Adelaide Hills escaped the landowner's control and burnt east into inaccessible countryside. More than 250 Country Fire Service volunteers and four aerial water bombers took three days to contain the fire, assisted by rain on the evening of the third day. The fire burned at least of scrub and pasture and impacted the community of Cherryville; one house and two sheds were destroyed and two firefighters were treated for minor injuries. The fire was notable in that it occurred outside the fire-ban season, leading to calls that the season should be extended.

Tasmania

Victoria

Between 1 October and 4 March, the Country Fire Authority attended 539 bush and grass fires larger than .

January

On 8 January, a farmer's road vehicle ignited a fire at the bottom of a slope near Chepstowe, approximately west of Ballarat. At least 360 CFA and 42 DSE personnel, supported by 6 firefighting aircraft and 3 bulldozers, fought to contain the fire and 400 residents and visitors were evacuated from Carngham and Burrumbeet caravan park. During a run from the point of ignition, the fire burned of scrub, grassland and pasture and impacted upon the communities of Burrumbeet, Carngham, Chepstowe and Snake Valley; The historic 120-year-old Carngham Station and 8 other houses, 12 cars and tractors, a number of sheds, and vineyards at Chepstowe Vineyard were destroyed and 800 head of livestock died. At least 6 people required medical attention as a result of the fire, 2 for minor burns and 4 for smoke inhalation.

On 17 January, a fire ignited in bushland in the Donnelly Creek Rd. area, near Aberfeldy. As the fire spread to the east, 61 children and 15 adults were evacuated from the Licola Wilderness Village, while 10 residents and about 30 firefighters remained in Licola. Unusually for a fire in Australia, a significant spread occurred at night and by the following day the fire had covered , with spot fires starting to the south-east and impacting the communities of Coongulla, Glenmaggie, Heyfield, Newry and Seaton, causing destruction. On 18 January, it was announced the body of a man had been found in a burnt out vehicle in Seaton. The fire was the largest in the state since the Black Saturday fires of 2009 and required significant commitment from firefighting authorities to control; 760 firefighting personnel from the CFA and DSE in 180 firefighting appliances and 23 bulldozers, supported by 13 firefighting aircraft, attended to the blaze over its 43-day duration. The fire burned of forest, scrub and grassland—much within the Baw Baw National Park—and impacted upon the communities of Coongulla, Dawson, Glenmaggie, Heyfield, Licola, Newry and Seaton; 21 houses, 17 vehicles, a number of sheds and caravans were destroyed.

On 21 January, lightning ignited a fire in the vicinity of Mt. Feathertop, near Harrietville and within the Alpine National Park. By 8 February, windy conditions had caused the fire to grow to and burn to within of homes near Mount Hotham On 13 February, two fire fighters from the Department of Sustainability and Environment were killed after a tree fell on a vehicle they were in while fighting the fire in the Buckland Valley. The tall tree fell during the passage of a storm cell over the area in the mid-afternoon; a decision not to evacuate the fire ground for the possibility of falling trees was heavily criticized. On 27 February, the fire was declared contained after burning of public and private land during a 55-day period.

February