Victorian Government announces $110 million bushfire recovery plan for long-term stability of region

ABC News by Rachel Clayton 23 August 2020

A $110 million recovery plan to help fire-affected communities rebuild after Victoria's deadly summer bushfires has been released by the State Government as the Premier assures Victorians authorities are prepared for the upcoming season.

The bushfires that struck eastern Victoria in December and January burnt through more than 1.5 million hectares of land and killed five people. The State Recovery Plan, released on Sunday, will fund local projects to create jobs, rebuild towns and generate long-term stability in the region over the next 12 to 18 months.

Premier Daniel Andrews said despite the strain on resources due to the pandemic, the Government had the capacity to deal with both the health crisis and a bushfire emergency. He also warned the next bushfire season could be more challenging than the last. "I think our volunteer, career workforce ... are all working very hard," he said. "I'm confident we will have all the planning in place but it won't be an easy summer. But we will be ready."

Under the plan, more than $78 million will be provided for region-wide projects, $10 million to repair and reinstate roads, crossings and fire-tower infrastructure and $8 million to ensure the safety of the arterial road network. A further $8 million will be used to build short-term modular homes and $5 million will be used to protect rare and threatened species. Read the full article here