Following a period of intense drought, bushfires in January to February 2003 burnt over one million hectares of north-east Victoria, the largest fires seen in over 60 years. To further our knowledge of the role fire plays in shaping the Australian landscape, the State Bushfire Recovery Task Force commissioned EPA Victoria to assess the effects of the 2003 bushfires on the health of our rivers and to monitor the recovery of river life.

In the year after the fires, EPA monitored the river health at 60 sites in the fire affected areas, 47 of which had been sampled previously. Prior to the fires, 65% of sites in the area were in good condition. This figure fell to 40% in the year after the fires, while sites in poor condition rose from 16% to 30%. There was no direct correlation between fire severity and river health. Other factors including subsequent rainfall events (leading to sediment ‘slugs’ in some streams) and fire patchiness will also be important in determining impacts.

Related web content

• How EPA monitors Victoria's water quality

Related files

• Publication 1008: River health in North East Victoria after the 2003 bushfires.
  (Describing the river studies underway. Published Sept 2005, 2 pages.)
• Publication 1008 b: River Health. A snapshot of the effects of the 2003 bushfires
  (Summary of impacts. Published June 2004, 8 pages.)