The Premier of Victoria announced an additional $15 million in support funding for communities affected by the bushfire crisis. Of this amount, $10 million will be directed towards a new bushfire clean-up program to assist landowners in dealing with the aftermath of over 500 destroyed structures. The focus is on helping uninsured and underinsured households that have lost their primary residences to kickstart the clean-up process.
The remaining $5 million will be utilized to waive fees at landfills in affected areas, ensuring that bushfire waste can be disposed of without charge. Currently, twelve active fires are burning across Victoria, a decrease from 27 the previous day. Emergency Management Commissioner Tim Wiebusch highlighted that six fires remain concerning to firefighting crews, with conditions expected to worsen later in January. The number of confirmed destroyed structures now exceeds 500, including 90 homes in the town of Longwood near Alexandra.
Detectives from Victoria Police’s arson squad are investigating the cause of the Longwood fire, which has consumed 144,000 hectares of land with a perimeter of 400 km. Earlier, an emergency funding package of $19.5 million was announced by the Australian Prime Minister and the Premier. This package includes provisions such as fodder supply for affected farmers, emergency accommodation support, and mental health assistance. The federal government has pledged to collaborate with the state government to aid Victorians in both the crisis and recovery phases.
