2026 Bushfires

While emergency services (like the CFA or SES) do a rapid impact assessment during the event, a ‘Secondary Impact Assessment’ is a more detailed analysis of the impact to your property.

We visit properties, businesses, and public areas to understand the full extent of the damage. We look at:

• Your Home: A structural and hazards assessment of buildings, structures and sanitary health services on your property.
• Your Wellbeing: Do you have what you need (food, clothes, health support)?

We collect this information for three main reasons:

1. To get you help: We can offer referrals to vitally important services and connect you directly with them. Such serviced may include housing assistance, financial counselling, assistance with fencing or clean up.
2. To gather detailed information on the true impacts of this event to support our community to recover.
3. To secure funding: The state and federal governments provide money for recovery. Our SIA team’s data helps to guide where that money is needed most. Your information helps us “make the case” for Strathbogie Shire to get its fair share of support.

Your privacy is very important to us. The information gathered by our teams is:

• Shared with recovery partners: Only organisations that provide direct help (like the Red Cross or recovery agencies) will see relevant details.
• Used for planning: We use the data to create a “Recovery Plan” that decides which projects are the highest priority for our town.
• Kept secure: We follow strict privacy laws to ensure your personal details are protected.

No. This is separate from insurance. You should still contact your insurance company as soon as possible to start your private claim. Our assessment is about community-wide recovery and seeing if you need extra support from the Council or the government.

No. This information is not for individual use, rather the information gathered provides data on the broader community impacts and needs.

If you require an all hazards structural assessment, contact the Emergency Recovery Hotline on 1800 560 760.

If you weren’t home, the team may have left a calling card or a note. You can call our Secondary Impact Assessment Team on (03) 5795 0000 to provide your information over the phone or to schedule a time for us to come back.

If you are in immediate danger, call 000. If you have no power, no food, or nowhere to stay, please call us on (03) 5795 0000. You do not need to wait for an assessment to get urgent help.

Recovery is a journey, not a race. Some things (like clearing debris) happen quickly, while others (like repairing bridges) take more time. We will use the data from these assessments to keep you updated on the timeline for your specific area,

For information in other languages, call the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450 (freecall) and ask them to call VicEmergency Hotline (1800 226 226).

The ICC is the central command hub for managing the 2026 Bushfires, led by an Incident Controller and their team to handle planning, intelligence, logistics, public information, and resource allocation for tactical, on-the-ground response, ensuring coordinated actions, warnings, and operational success for a particular incident like a bushfire or flood.

An ERC is set up to assist people who have been displaced or need assistance in the event of an emergency that significantly impacts the community.

The ICC takes many factors into account when setting up an ERC including location, access and amenity, which are carefully assessed based on the location of the incident and the broader geographic area. An ERC cannot be set-up in a location that are under threat.

For pets see RSPCA Victoria’s emergency advice. Do not return home until emergency services say it is safe. It could still be dangerous in your area. For more information call the VicEmergency Hotline on 1800 226 226.

• They have limited capacity and provide no guarantee of safety;
• They do not cater for animals;
• There is no expectation that emergency services will be present;
• They do not provide meals, amenity or cater for special needs (e.g. Infants, the elderly, the ill or the disabled);
• They may not provide shelter from the elements, particularly flying embers;
• There are risks to people during access, shelter during passage of the fire front and egress from the Neighbourhood Safer Place.
• They are NOT a Fire Refuge, Relief Centre, Recovery Centre, Assembly Area, or informal Places of Shelter, each of which has a different and specific purpose.

To date there are seven BPLR designated for Strathbogie Shire, as follows:

• Avenel Recreation, Reserve Pavilion, 33A Anderson Street, Avenel
• Euroa Swimming Pool Car Park, 16A Bury St, Euroa
• Longwood Community Centre, 2A Down Street, Longwood
• Mangalore Airport, 331 Aerodome Road, Mangalore VIC
• Nagambie Regatta Centre, Loddings Lane (Off Vickers Road) Nagambie
• Ruffy Recreation Reserve, “Maygar Park”, 36 Noye Lane, Ruffy
• Strathbogie Golf Club House, 17 Armstrong Steet, Strathbogie
• Violet Town Recreation Reserve Pavilion, 2 Tulip Street, Violet Town

Visit VicTraffic to view timely updates and information regarding Regional Roads Victoria and Council road closures in the region.

It is strongly advised that people do not enter the bushfire area or attempt to access roads that are closed to ensure your personal safety.

Road closures are changing daily, so please refer to VicTraffic for timely updates.

Please refer to the Transport Victoria / V-Line Regional public transport website for ongoing service changes due to the bushfires.

V/Line – Regional public transport for Victoria – Ongoing Service Changes Due to Bushfires

This emergency relief payment helps eligible people impacted by the 2026 bushfires to pay for essentials such as food, clothing, medication and accommodation. Eligible amounts are:

• One-off payment of $680 per adult and $340 per child

• Up to $2,380 per eligible family in total

You may be eligible if:

• Your principal place of residence was damaged or destroyed by the January 2026 bushfires and you can’t live in it, or

• Your principal place of residence was in an evacuation warning area, and you evacuated your property.

Call the VicEmergency Hotline on 1800 226 226 and press 0 then 1, or visit an Emergency Relief Centre for help with the application process.

See more information at vic.gov.au

This is a one-off, non-means tested lump sum payment from the Australian Government for people affected by the bushfires. Payments are:

• $1,000 per eligible adult

• $400 per eligible child

You may be eligible if you’ve suffered impacts such as:

• Major damage to your principal place of residence

• Serious injury, or

• An immediate family member has died or is missing as a result of the bushfires.

Information and claims are available via the Australian Government’s Disaster Assist website or through Services Australia once the payment is open.

See more information at vic.gov.au or servicesaustralia.gov.au

If you have been displaced or cannot stay in your home due to the bushfires, emergency accommodation support may be available. This can include temporary housing in hotels, serviced apartments or other places arranged through relief centres and recovery services.

You may be eligible if you have no other place to go. Before seeking this support, you are encouraged to consider options such as contacting family or friends for support or speaking to your insurance provider about what your policy will cover.

Support workers can assist you to find accommodation options if you have no safe alternative. You can also ask for help at an Emergency Relief Centre, or by calling the VicEmergency Hotline on 1800 226 226.

See more information at vic.gov.au

The Emergency Recovery Support Program helps people affected by the fires to navigate the recovery process and access appropriate services. This support can include:

• Connecting you with local services and programs that can help

• Advice on insurance, legal or financial questions

• Help with accessing government payments and grants

• Support from a recovery support worker if needed

Recovery support officers can guide you through what’s available and how to access it. You can enquire at an Emergency Relief Centre, through recovery services, or by calling the VicEmergency or Emergency Recovery Hotlines.

Emergency Recovery Support can be accessed via the Emergency Recovery Hotline on 1800 560 760 (press 9 for an interpreter or call TIS on 131450).

See more information at vic.gov.au or find out more about support, advice and counselling available throughout your recovery.

Up to $16 million in financial assistance for households impacted by extended power outages following the bushfires.

Eligible households who have been without power for seven or more days within a two-week period will receive $2,380 per week for up to three weeks, helping families manage during this challenging time.

Applications can be made through electricity distribution businesses, with full details available at energy.vic.gov.au.

Primary producers are the backbone of local economies and their recovery is critical after the devastation of these bushfires.

An initial $40 million in grants of up to $75,000 will be provided to eligible primary producers, to help cover the costs of clean-up and reinstating their enterprises. Funding can be used for essential recovery activities such as disposing of livestock, rebuilding or replacing damaged on-farm infrastructure and restoring operations.

Grants will open as soon as possible and will be delivered by Rural Finance. Information on eligibility and how to apply will be available at ruralfinance.com.au.

$10 million in concessional loans are available to help primary producers recover from the bushfires. Loans of up to $250,000 will be available for producers who have suffered significant damage to assets, while loans of up to $100,000 will support those experiencing a major loss of income.

This assistance will further help cover essential costs such as repairing or replacing damaged equipment, rebuilding infrastructure, purchasing livestock and meeting working capital expenses like wages, rent and fodder.

Applications will open as soon as possible and will be delivered by Rural Finance. Information on eligibility and how to apply will be available at ruralfinance.com.au.

The Government has announced support for councils to assist their communities. Almost $12 million will be delivered through the Council Support Fund to help bushfire-affected councils restore vital community assets and services.

This funding will kickstart clean-up and repairs to local public spaces like parks, footy ovals, community centres, playgrounds and sporting fields – helping communities reconnect.

This Fund boosts councils’ capacity to lead recovery efforts and make decisions that reflect local needs, ensuring support goes where it’s needed most. The Fund will be active for two years, giving councils the time they need for clean-up and reconstruction. Councils will receive up to $750,000 depending on the scale of impacts, providing tailored support for rebuilding communities.

Access grants, subsidies, and advice for managing financial hardship.

Financial Support – Agriculture Victoria

Support is available for eligible property owners facing financial difficulties.

State Revenue Office – Hardship Relief

Support is available for superannuation and tax obligations due to financial hardship.

ATO Financial Hardship

The Victorian Government has announced more than $4 million to provide financial counselling for communities impacted by the bushfires, helping Victorians access emergency assistance, navigate recovery systems and stabilise their finances so they can rebuild.

Specialist counsellors will help individuals and families access recovery grants, manage insurance claims, replace essential items and deal with debts through payment plans and fee waivers. They will also provide advocacy with insurers and creditors, and connect people to legal support.

The funding will boost the Victorian Farmers Federation’s Financial Capability Support Program, giving primary producers tailored financial advice.

Rural Financial Counselling Service

Free, confidential support for farmers and rural small businesses.

Call 1300 771 741 or rfcnetwork.com.au

If fires have affected your property, including dead or injured animals, crop loss or damage, or fodder and water needs, you can report it online. Your information will help us report on recovery and decide what support you need.

Collecting this information is a critical step in enabling Council to advocate to other levels of government for the resources needed to support recovery and rebuilding. We encourage businesses to keep Council informed of their needs as we move forward together.

Loss and Damage Online Assessment Form

Learn more on agriculture.vic.gov.au

Emergency fodder is being made available for farmers in fire-affected areas.

Call Agriculture Victoria on 1800 226 226 if you have urgent animal welfare needs.

Agriculture Victoria are a Victorian Government Department responsible for legislation, protection, industry support and information relating to farmers, agri-business and animal welfare.

Farmers can report livestock and property impacts, and access information on emergency fodder and carcass disposal via the Agriculture Victoria website:

If it is safe for you to move large animals such as horses, you can take them to these large animal relief centres:

• Seymour Showgrounds: 55 Tallarook St, Seymour
• Mansfield Zoo: Mt Battery Road, Mansfield
• Mansfield Racecourse: 6165 Midland Hwy, Mansfield (horses only)
• Euroa Saleyard: 58 Sutherland St, Euroa
• McCormack Park: 45 McCormacks Rd, Merrijig

Please note, that owners are responsible for their animals and will need to stay with their animals. Bring your own feed and extra water in case of power outages.

Small animals are welcome at the relief centre in Seymour, in the following location:

• Seymour Sports and Aquatics Centre (Chittick Park): Pollard St, Seymour.

Support is here for farmers, families, and rural communities feeling stressed or overwhelmed.

Mental health and wellbeing support on agriculture.vic.gov.au

Agriculture Victoria provides recommendations, support services and more information.

What to do after a bushfire on agriculture.vic.gov.au

24/7 mental health crisis support.

Ph 1300 369 005

Free, no-referral outreach services for anyone aged 26 and over.

Ph 1300 000 559 or betterhealth.vic.gov.au

Wellbeing support, counselling, and practical assistance for farming families.

Ph 1300 175 594 or ruralaid.org.au

The Victorian Bushfire Appeal is a general appeal to support all impacted communities. 100% of the money goes towards supporting the relief and recovery of people and communities affected by an event. Your donation will not be used to cover any administrative costs.

An independent board oversees the donations and their distribution

Donate to the 2026 Victorian Bushfire Appeal (vic.gov.au)

Please donate today to help Aussies affected by natural disasters.

Donate Online | The Salvation Army

Administered by Bendigo Bank’s charitable arm, Community Enterprise Foundation, all donations of $2 or more are tax deductible and donors will be provided with a tax receipt through the Foundation. This will be identified in the relevant appeal details online and will also appear on your tax receipt.

Donations given to support a specific impacted area will remain within that community to aid in its recovery.

Victorian Bushfire Appeal | Bendigo Bank

Disaster Relief Australia’s team of volunteers are here to help providing vital relief and recovery services to affected communities.

Donate to Disaster Relief Australia

In Victoria, over 100,000 emergency management volunteers help to keep communities, homes, businesses and the environment safe. They give up their time to help prepare, respond, recover and rebuild from disasters.

Victoria’s volunteers contribute both in and out of uniform and often behind the scenes, and their local knowledge and expertise is invaluable.

If you would like to become a volunteer, there are a range of sectors in which you can help. For more information, click on the Volunteer Victoria website and the Volunteer guide links below to get started.

Search for volunteer roles | Volunteering Victoria

State Peak for Volunteering | Volunteering Victoria

Volunteer Guide (PDF) | Volunteering Victoria

Volunteers | Emergency Management Victoria

If your kerbside bin was damaged or lost in the fire you can apply for a FREE repair or replacement online. You don’t need to fill in multiple forms for multiple bins, simply write all required bins into the comments section. Or give council a call during business hours on 1800 065 993.

Repairs or Replacement for Damaged Bin – Strathbogie Shire

Ruffy Transfer Station remains unmanned at this time. However, the skips on site will be opened for use by Ruffy residents only.

This is for small amounts of domestic waste (not clean up materials):

• General waste
• Recycling
• Food waste

Please only bring what you need removed from your home. Clean-up support will be separate.

Help to clean-up uninsured or underinsured homes impacted by the January 2026 Victorian bushfires will be available soon.

If your home has been damaged you can find more information and register for updates via the Victorian Government website.

The care of sick, injured and orphaned wildlife must be referred to an authorised wildlife shelter or foster carer, wildlife rehabilitation organisation or veterinarian.

The Help for Injured Wildlife tool will help you locate and contact the closest relevant wildlife carers and rescue and rehabilitation organisations to help the injured wildlife.

Visit wildlife.vic.gov.au for more information

Air quality reporting on the EPA website is updated hourly with data collected from our quality monitoring sites across Victoria. Air quality forecasts are updated daily at 5 pm with forecasts for the next 24 hours.

Learn more at epa.vic.gov.au

Water from rivers and creeks impacted by fire is likely to contain pathogens and chemicals.

For example, firefighting activities will lead to run-off of chemicals from surrounding land; animals will seek protection near water and will contaminate the water when defecating, or worse, dying and decomposing.

As a consequence, you should immediately stop using that water for drinking, washing (including brushing teeth), preparing food and for any primary contact recreation.

Relief Drinking Water Standard Operating Procedure FAQs

While many people use masks during periods of heavy smoke, they are not universally recommended for everyone, and their effectiveness depends heavily on the type of mask and how it is worn.

Standard surgical or cloth masks are not effective against fine smoke particles because they do not filter them out and do not provide a tight face seal.

Only certified P2 respirators are designed to filter out the fine particles found in smoke, however they are not recommended for general community use.

• Individuals with Pre-existing Conditions: People with respiratory conditions such as asthma, COPD, or emphysema, and those with heart conditions, may find that masks make breathing more difficult and exacerbate their symptoms.
• Children and the Elderly: Very young children should not wear masks because of the risk of suffocation. Older adults with underlying health issues may also struggle with the reduced airflow caused by masks.
• People with Facial Hair: Most masks require a tight seal to work effectively. Facial hair often prevents this seal, rendering the mask ineffective in filtering smoke particles.

The most effective way to protect yourself from bushfire smoke is to stay indoors with windows and doors closed and avoid vigorous exercise.