Throughout January 1906 fires raged across Victoria. Temperatures were extraordinarily high with Mildura reaching 124ºF or 51C. Fires were reported at Bendigo, Penshurst, Beechworth, Albury, Mount Gambier in South Australia and South Gippsland. In total, six people died from the one family near Mount Best in Gippsland in January and six other people were killed in the surrounding area.

Approximately 56 families were completely burnt out with the loss of everything. Fires continued to burn in Central Victoria until mid February. Several court prosecutions were made of people accused of deliberately lighting the fires, with some convictions made.