The 2001 Warragamba bushfires occurred Christmas Day, 25 December 2001 in the small New South Wales town of Warragamba, leaving 30 homes and businesses destroyed. The bushfires in Warragamba were part of the longest official continuous bushfire emergency in NSW taking place between 21 December 2001 and 13 January 2002 and spreading across the state. Most of these fires were caused by lightning or arsonists. The fire behaviour was unusual in many areas due to extreme dryness of fuel and variable winds. The initial destruction in Warragamba and the Hawkesbury River area prompted a natural disaster declaration by the State Government.