Bushfire Relief Funding For Victoria: Australia Pledges USD 13 Million

More than 300 structures have been destroyed during the ongoing bushfire crisis in Victoria, where authorities are managing dozens of active fires and repeated evacuations, while government support measures are being rolled out to assist affected residents, farmers and regional communities across the state.

As of Sunday morning, officials reported 32 bushfires burning across Victoria, with 15 warnings telling communities to leave. Authorities said evacuation orders remain the most effective way to protect lives as fire conditions stay challenging in multiple regions.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan announced a 19.5 million Australian dollar emergency support package on Sunday. The programme is designed to give immediate assistance to people, farms and towns affected by the Victoria bushfires across the state.

The package includes 10 million Australian dollars for fodder, aimed at farmers dealing with heavy livestock losses. Another 1.5 million Australian dollars is allocated for emergency accommodation, supporting thousands ordered to leave homes. A further one million Australian dollars is dedicated to mental health support services.

Victoria’s Emergency Management Commissioner Tim Wiebusch confirmed that more than 300 structures have been destroyed statewide. Around 150 of those losses came from a fire near Longwood, a central Victorian town about 120 kilometres north of Melbourne, where the blaze has burned roughly 144,000 hectares since Wednesday.

The Longwood fire was one of three blazes still at emergency level on Sunday, alongside fires in western Victoria and the state’s far northeast. Forecasts suggested temperatures would fall, but strong winds were expected to persist and keep firefighting operations difficult and dangerous.

Speaking in Bendigo with Allan and emergency services personnel, Albanese said the federal government would support Victorians through both the crisis and the recovery. "We've got your back," he said. "We'll work cooperatively with the state government to make sure we deliver what is necessary so that people and communities can get back on their feet after what has been a very difficult period."

With inputs from WAM