Between November 2019 and February 2020, bushfires burned across South Australia. At the same time, significant fires were burning across Australia, with the biggest impacts felt by New South Wales and Victoria. These fires have been called the Black Summer Bushfires. In South Australia, the fires resulted in more than 1180 homes, non-residential buildings, and facilities being destroyed or damaged. Sadly, three people died.

These large-scale bushfires burnt 278,603 hectares of land, severely impacting Yorketown, the Adelaide Hills and Kangaroo Island and key industries including tourism, primary producers, viticulture and forestry.

The sheer size and scope of the fires means we are yet to fully realise the long-term impacts of the disaster on the environment, the economy and the health and wellbeing of the community.

From the beginning of the first fire, the State Government worked with affected communities to understand and meet their needs. This involved immediate actions to provide support with shelter, food and other basic necessities, right through to working side-by-side with the affected communities to imagine and start building a new normal that allows them to thrive.

By the end of November 2020 the State Government had invested more than $79 million in grant programs and other initiatives to help people recover and rebuild. The public also rallied behind fire-affected communities by generously donating to the SA Bushfire Appeal, which saw nearly $8 million gifted to individuals, families and businesses to purchase personal and other needs, and more than $1 million gifted to community groups and organisations.

2019-20 Bushfire Recovery Interim Report

In December 2020 the Government of South Australia released the 2019-20 Bushfire Recovery Interim Report.

The report identified the vision for recovery, established recovery actions to be achieved, and the activity and assessment needed to monitor and evaluate recovery progress.

It is supported by the community recovery plans developed by the communities of the Adelaide Hills and Kangaroo Island.

Read the 2019-20 South Australian Bushfire Recovery Interim Report (PDF, 4.3 MB)

2019-20 South Australian Bushfire Recovery Final Report

In November 2025 the Government of South Australia released the 2019-20 South Australian Bushfire Recovery Final Report.

This report tells the story of the Yorketown, Cudlee Creek, Kangaroo Island and other fires and the achievements of the recovery phase across the four domains of recovery: social, economic, built environment and the natural environment.

This report builds on the 2019-20 Bushfire Recovery Interim Report by outlining the recovery initiatives implemented by the Government of South Australia, with funding support provided by the Commonwealth Government, under the state-led coordinated recovery program. A number of important recovery efforts undertaken by communities, local councils, non-government organisations (NGOs), and other recovery partners are also outlined.

Read the 2019-20 South Australian Bushfire Recovery Final Report (PDF, 5.6 MB).