Standfirst: On Friday 9 January 2026, Victoria faced a statewide bushfire emergency shaped by extreme heat, damaging winds, and rapidly changing conditions. This editorial pulls together what’s been reported by emergency agencies, government statements, and major newsrooms—and looks hard (but fairly) at lessons Victoria has already learned in the past, and the ones we still struggle to act on.Note: In fast-moving disasters, “confirmed” numbers change. Where figures differ between credible…