Large bushfires (over 500ha) account for a disproportionate amount of both hectares burned and suppression expenditure; however, the effectiveness of large-fire suppression is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to provide a framework for the development of an overall assessment of the effectiveness of suppression. To achieve this we conducted a qualitative document analysis of operational documents for 10 large bushfires Victoria, classifying resource types and their usage at the fireline division or sector level.