Government assistance for bushfire ravaged town

THE majority of the financial support is expected to be paid to fire-fighting agencies to cover the cost of their operations.

Fires at McLeod's Pinnacle, East of Armidale. Picture: The Northern Star Archives

TENTERFIELD residents affected by bush fires in March have been offered disaster assistance by authorities.

The jointly-funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) is the organisation offering support.

The government expects the majority of that support to be paid to fire-fighting agencies to cover the cost of their operations.

Assistance measures available under the DRFA may include help for eligible people whose homes or belongings have been damaged; support for affected local councils to help with the costs of cleaning up and restoring damaged essential public assets; concessional interest rate loans for small businesses, primary producers and non-profit organisations; freight subsidies for primary producers, and grants to eligible non-profit organisations.

Federal Minister for Natural Disaster and Emergency Management David Littleproud said the Commonwealth and New South Wales Governments were working together to help Tenterfield recover.

"These fires burnt through more than 5600 hectares, including over 3725 hectares of private land and 357 hectares of National Park," Mr Littleproud said.

"This assistance will help cover the cost of fire-fighting which protected lives and rural properties.

"Funding will also help local councils repair bushfire damaged assets, including local roads."

NSW Minister for Police and Emergency Services David Elliott said that due to the threat to life and property, a significant multi-agency and community fire-fighting response was required.

"Considerable resources were required to bring these fires under control, including mass deployment of fire-fighting personnel, appliances and aircraft," Mr Elliott said.

"As always, our first responders did a remarkable job in protecting the communities under threat and I commend them for their efforts."

Further information on disaster assistance is available on the Australian Government's Disaster Assist website at disasterassist.gov.au and the NSW emergency information and response website at emergency.nsw.gov.au.