Slater & Gordon is seeking a class action settlement over the Blue Mountains bushfires of last October.

“The fires, which burned through more than 100,000 hectares across [NSW], were the biggest to affect the state in decades,” the firm says in a statement.

“Each fire had a different cause, so we will be reviewing these to assess whether the Government, the Australian Defence Force (ADF), a power company or another third party ought to be held liable.”

The action seeks to recover uninsured losses resulting from the State Mine fire near Lithgow and another blaze in Linksview Road near Springwood.

Slater & Gordon has called on the ADF to set up a fund and a compensation process for uninsured losses arising from the State Mine fire.

“Establishing this process would assist in resolving the claims without the need for expensive and time-consuming litigation.”

The ADF has admitted responsibility for the fire, which destroyed five homes and 56,000 hectares of bush.

Slater & Gordon commercial litigation lawyer Ben Hardwick says explosives exercises at the Marrangaroo training area caused the blaze.

Defence policies prohibit live firing on days of high fire danger, but the officer in charge considered these “obsolete”.

“As a result of that poor judgement, residents and landowners lost their homes and possessions in one of NSW’s largest bushfires by area,” Mr Hardwick said. “They have a right to be angry – this was a fire that should never have occurred and they should now be fully compensated.”

Near Springwood 200 homes were destroyed, with at least 100 more damaged. “Early indications are this fire was sparked by power lines,” Slater & Gordon said.