| Ash Wednesday I | |
| Location: | Adelaide Hills, South Australia |
| Coordinates: | -34.91°N 138.71°W |
| References: | --> |
| Cost: | $34,000,000 |
| Area: | 3770ha |
| Cause: | Faulty power lines, arson, and negligence after years of extreme drought |
| Pushpin Map: | Australia South Australia |
The first Ash Wednesday fires were a series of bushfires that began in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia, on Ash Wednesday, 20 February 1980.[1] 51 homes and 25 other buildings were destroyed, including the Anglican Christ Church, Longwood,[2] and 75 farms were affected. 40 people were injured, with 150 left homeless. The fire burnt an area of 3770ha,[3] and caused an estimated $34,000,000 damage.[4]
In 1983, after the Ash Wednesday fires in February that year, the 1980 fire became known in South Australia as the "first" Ash Wednesday, or Ash Wednesday I.[3]