On Sunday 9^th February 2014, a day of extreme fire danger across much of south eastern Australia, a major fire started in the Hazelwood brown coal mine in the La Trobe Valley.  Coal from this mine feeds the Hazelwood Power Station which generates 25% of the State’s power.  The cause of the Hazelwood Mine fire is still being investigated, but is likely to have been from firebrands from one or both of two bushfires burning close to the edge of the mine.  The fire has been described as “a vertical lava flow”.  It stretched along over 3.7 kilometres of benched mine wall.  The fire was extinguished after 45 days of intense, arduous and complex firefighting.  It was one of the most complex and most difficult fires in Victoria’s history.  The fire saw firefighters deployed from numerous State, Territory and Commonwealth fire agencies.  Every firefighter entering the area of operations was subjected to blood Carbon Monoxide monitoring, resulting in excess of 40,000 health samples being taken.  Health agencies implemented community atmospheric and health monitoring systems.  The Mine operator and key contractors were integrated into the operational and incident management.  Fire controllers established an “Expert Group” to provide mining industry and fire agency expert advice on fire suppression strategies, smoke management, water and mine geo-technical stability.  An integrated method of firefighting was developed that saw heavy helicopters with buckets integrate with aerial appliances and compressed air foam tenders working in sequence with airport fire tenders, ground tankers and crews.  The burning batters were divided into “grids” that were assessed daily.  Suppression objectives were set using airborne and hand held thermal imagery.  This fire was a combined response by volunteers and paid personnel from many response, support and recovery agencies.  A Board of Inquiry has been conducted into aspects of the fire.  Recommendations are expected to be handed down at the end of August 2014.