
1939Jan, 13
The Black Friday bush fires burn 20,000 square kilometers of land in Australia, claiming the lives of 71 people.
The Black Friday bushfires of 13 January 1939, in Victoria, Australia, were part of the devastating 1938–1939 bushfire season in Australia, which saw bushfires burning for the whole summer, and ash falling as far away as New Zealand. It was calculated that three-quarters of the State of Victoria was directly or indirectly affected by the disaster, while other Australian states and the Australian Capital Territory were also badly hit by fires and extreme heat. As of 3 November 2011, the event was one of the worst recorded bushfires in Australia, and the third most deadly.Fires burned almost 2,000,000 hectares (4,900,000 acres) of land in Victoria, where 71 people were killed, and several towns were entirely obliterated. Over 1,300 homes and 69 sawmills were burned, and 3,700 buildings were destroyed or damaged. In response, the Victorian state government convened a Royal Commission that resulted in major changes in forest management. The Royal Commission noted that "it appeared the whole State was alight on Friday, 13 January 1939".New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory also faced severe fires during the 1939 season. Destructive fires burned from the NSW South Coast, across the ranges and inland to Bathurst, while Sydney was ringed by fires which entered the outer suburbs, and fires raged towards the new capital at Canberra. South Australia was also struck by the Adelaide Hills bushfires.
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Events on 1939
- 3Mar
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
In Bombay, Mohandas Gandhi begins a hunger strike in protest at the autocratic rule in British India. - 1Apr
Francisco Franco
Spanish Civil War: Generalísimo Francisco Franco of the Spanish State announces the end of the Spanish Civil War, when the last of the Republican forces surrender. - 6Sep
Nazi Germany
World War II: South Africa declares war on Nazi Germany. - 14Dec
Soviet Union
Winter War: The Soviet Union is expelled from the League of Nations for invading Finland. - 24Dec
Pope Pius XII
World War II: Pope Pius XII makes a Christmas Eve appeal for peace.