There was extreme weather conditions across all affected areas during this time. These included temperatures up to 45º C, winds of 90 km per hour and very low humidity which resulted in very high level of fire danger.

Twenty-six bushfire emergency declarations were made, incorporating the 48 local government areas of Blue Mountains / Lithgow / Rylstone, Cessnock / Wyong, Hawkesbury, Kempsey, Mudgee, Oberon / Mulwarree, Richmond Valley / Maclean, Shoalhaven / Tallaganda, Gosford, Penrith / Fairfield / Blacktown / Liverpool, Singleton / Muswellbrook, Sutherland, Wollondilly / Campbelltown / Wingecarribee, Wollongong / Kiama / Shellharbour, Baulkham Hills / Hornsby / Ku-ring-gai / Ryde / Lane Cove, Grafton / Pristine Waters / Maclean / Copmanhurst, Eurobodalla, Warringah / Pittwater, Narrabri, Kempsey, Cabonne, Coffs Harbour, Richmond Valley, Greater Taree, Kempsey and Walcha.

The fires burnt approximately 753,314 hectares, destroyed 109 houses and damaged a further 40. They also destroyed 433 outbuildings, 222 vehicles, and 7043 stock and 33 commercial and industrial buildings. Vast stretches of forests were destroyed, including more than 60 per cent of the Royal National Park, and more than 510 hectares of pine plantation valued at several million dollars in the Australian Capital Territory. The smoke and smog from the fire caused the Environmental Protection Authority to record the worst ever air pollution in Sydney on 28 December.

Although major fire activity ended on 7 January, operations continued until 11 January. More than 11,000 people were evacuated from their homes, but there were no deaths or major injuries.

An estimated 20,000 properties were saved and the cost of operations was estimated at $106 million.

The Insurance Council of Australia estimated the 2001 damage at $69 million, with the 2011 estimated normalised cost of $131 million.