In December 2007, dry lightning ignited numerous bush fires on Kangaroo Island. At the height of the emergency 12 fires were burning across the island. Four of the fires continued to burn for two weeks. The suppression response mobilised for these fires was the largest in South Australian history, and involved 1,400 people and resources from South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia.

The bushfires burnt 22% (90,982 hectares) of the total land mass of Kangaroo Island. There was 1 fatality and nearly 3,000 hectares of agricultural and forestry land and assets destroyed.

The Insurance Council of Australia estimated the 2007 damage at $12 million, with the 2017 estimated normalised cost of $17.9 million.