This appendix episode features two bushfire stories from Australia's early colonial life.

One of the earliest bushfire narratives, William Howitt’s short story Black Thursday, is an adaptation of his own reporting on the fire disaster of the same name. Black Thursday (February 7, 1851) was perhaps the first great fire disaster in settler Australian history. Although no official records exist, it is estimated that almost a quarter of the Victorian colony was burned. Howitt’s literary account is partly a revision of his own reporting that drew together different newspaper accounts to present a sensational report of unprecedented destruction. Howitt’s narrative is ultimately a tale of settler endurance that features protagonist Robert Patterson successfully navigating the difficulties of bush life. Nonetheless, he draws heavily on these journalistic accounts for both the narrative setting and the description of the fire itself.

Ria: A West Australian Story is notable as the only representation of a woman fighting a bushfire at the fire-front, rather than within the boundaried perimeter of the property or directly outside the homestead. This story presents the opportunity for discussion of gender norms and the gendered politics of fire-fighting

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