Bushfires: payments to help eligible bushfire victims rebuild

Fire victims will be eligible for up to $32,500 of assistance per household to help with rebuilding.

$1.6m Community Fire Refuge

Fire victims will be eligible for up to $32,500 of assistance per household to help with rebuilding if a principal place of residence was burnt down.

A further payment of up to $1300 per household is available, with payments of up to $520 per adult and $260 a child to help cover the cost of emergency food, shelter and clothing.

The federal and Victorian governments have announced the measures for victims of the Wye River and Separation Creek bushfire, which destroyed 116 houses, most in Wye River.

While most owners in both hamlets use their houses as holiday homes, victims have several options to minimise hardship and distress.

The measures were announced by Victorian Emergency Services Minister Jane Garrett and federal Justice Minister Michael Keenan and were offered under the ­federal-state Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements.

The $32,500 payment will help to cover clean-up, emergency ­accommodation, repairs, rebuilding of a principal place of residence and replacing some contents.

The governments announced in a statement that affected people would be able to access personal and financial counselling, with councils able to seek ­redress for rebuilding public assets.

Ms Garrett said it was essential that communities be able to have the resources to rebuild fast.

“The relief grants will help to support local communities so they can recover as quickly as possible,’’ she said.

The Justice Minister said the assistance followed earlier fires in Victoria this month that had led to house and stock losses.

“This assistance includes a number of arrangements to help with the cost of relief and ­recovery, and is in addition to a range of other assistance measures already available in response to the bushfires that occurred on 19 December, 2015,’’ he said.