Between 30 September and 13 October 2023, East Gippsland and northeast Victoria experienced a complex emergency involving concurrent bushfires, severe storms and flash flooding. Following one of the driest winters on record, bushfires ignited on 1 October at Rawson, Briagolong and Loch Sport, driven by strong winds and dry conditions.

The Briagolong fire, caused by an escaped private burn‑off, burned for 30 days across steep terrain, impacting 12,504 hectares, destroying one residential property, three cabins, and 1,100 hectares of forest plantation. Fires at Loch Sport and Rawson, linked to escaped campfires and private burn‑offs, threatened communities, led to evacuations and road closures, and burned a combined 3,618 hectares, with no residential losses at those locations.

From 3–4 October, a low‑pressure system brought heavy rain, strong winds and thunderstorms, causing flash and riverine flooding across East Gippsland. The Mitchell River at Bairnsdale reached major flood levels, prompting water rescues. One fatality occurred following flooding of the Tyers River. VIC SES responded to 1,165 requests for assistance, including 11 water rescues, highlighting the challenges of managing overlapping hazards within the same response footprint.