PERILS product manager Luzi Hitz said the event sits within a broader pattern of wildfire and catastrophe activity in the state. “Victoria has suffered two major wildfire disasters in recent years, the ‘Black Summer’ event of 2019/20 and the ‘Black Saturday’ event of 2009, the latter causing 173 fatalities. This time the death toll was much lower, in part due to the bushfires impacting less populated areas, but also due to the rapid declaration of a state of emergency, early evacuations, and extensive firefighting efforts which undoubtedly helped to save lives,” Hitz said. He said that “after six years of mainly ‘wet’ Cat events in Australia, including floods, cyclones, and severe convective storms, the 2026 Victoria bushfires serve as a reminder of the significant bushfire risk in Australia.”