Remembering Canberra's deadly fires of 2003

The 74 inch telescope at Mt Stromlo Observatory built in 1922 lays gutted by the fires

The 74 inch telescope at the historic Mt Stromlo Observatory was gutted by the January 2003 bushfires in Canberra Source: Getty / Daniel Berehulak

It's been 20 years since wildfires ripped through the nation's capital, surprising emergency services and leaving behind it a path of destruction. Authorities say they've learned key lessons since, but concerns remain that the Rural Fire Service is under-equipped.


Listen to Australian and world news, and follow trending topics with

Share

Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world