On 1 March 2019, lightning strikes ignited fires in the Victorian townships of Tonimbuk, Bunyip North, Tynong North and Garfield North, located about one hour’s drive southeast of Melbourne. The fires destroyed 29 homes and 67 sheds and outbuildings, and damaged hundreds more properties, burning over 100,000 hectares of land.

Samaritan’s Purse responded by sending volunteer teams. Teams were able to chop and stack wood, remove burned fence posts, clear fence lines, clean up garden waste and debris from properties and chainsaw work.