16 - Bushfire Community Update - 20 March

Number 16, Friday 20 March 2009

New meeting times

Community meetings are now being held once a week instead of twice a week. Meetings will be held on Thursdays at 7pm at the Whittlesea Emergency Relief Centre.

Know someone who wants to receive updates?
Thank you to those who have been encouraging their neighbours and friends to register with Council to receive the latest information on bushfire recovery activities.

If you know someone who would like to receive regular email or SMS updates please ask them to register for Council’s Bushfire Information database.

To register call 1300 779 183, email bushfireinfo@whittlesea.vic.gov.au or visit the registration page.

Emergency orders

Council is issuing emergency orders for properties where structures pose a safety risk.

Council’s building staff are phoning people wherever possible to discuss the order and

options for making the structures safe until a clean up is organised.

The orders provide seven days to arrange appropriate safety measures such as fencing, shoring up or demolition.

Clean-up

The State Government organised free clean-up of sites by contractor Grocon covers the removal of rubble from houses and other structures destroyed by the bushfires.

Grocon will also clear away any dangerous trees that are in the immediate vicinity of those bushfire-damaged structures.

The clean-up does not include debris that was on a property before the bushfires. Any bushfire damaged trees that are not in the immediate vicinity of a damaged structure will need to be removed by the landowner.

If you would like your property clean-up for free register with Grocon by phoning 1800 136 732 or by visiting www.vic.gov.au

State Coroner Community Information Sessions

The State Coroner’s Office will be holding community information sessions for anyone who has lost loved ones in the recent bushfires.

These sessions are designed to provide information about the State Coroner’s Office, including the process of identification.

The sessions will provide general information in regards to the Coroner’s investigation and the role of the Coroner, the Disaster Victim Identification Process, making funeral arrangements and timeframes. People will have the opportunity to ask questions they may have in relation to these processes. 

Information sessions venues and times include:

• Sunday 22 March, Marysville Golf Course, 956 Buxton-Marysville Road, Marysville at 3pm.
• Tuesday 24 March, Kinglake, Marquee adjacent to the Kinglake Council Office, Kinglake at 7pm
• Wednesday 25 March, Whittlesea, Community Activities Centre, 56-61 Laurel Street, Whittlesea at 7pm.
• Thursday 26 March, Kinglake West, Community Hall, Main Road, Kinglake West at 7.30pm.
• Saturday 28 March, The State Coroner’s Office, 57-83 Kavanagh Street, Southbank at 2pm.

For more information please contact the State Coroners Office on 03 9684 4380 or visit our website www.coronerscourt.vic.gov.au.

Tools for tradies

A registry has been set up for tradespeople who lost tools in the bushfires. Tools For Tradies co-organiser Alan Hayward from the Whittlesea Lions Club advises that tools will be needed as people begin to return to work.

To register for tools or donate go to www.redevol.com.au/tft

New grant

Small businesses and individuals who provided exceptional support to communities in the aftermath of the bushfires can apply for a grant from the Victorian Bushfire

Appeal Fund

Emergency Hardship Grants of up to $8,000 are available for small businesses and individuals who opened their doors to supply food, shelter and other necessities to bushfire affected people, as well as those fighting the fires.

Nomination forms and more information are available from www.dhs.vic.gov.au/bushfireappeal or by calling 1800 180 213.

Damaged fencing

The following is information to assist residents who need to rebuild fences as a result of the recent fire.

The primary focus at the moment is boundary fencing on road reserves to contain livestock and minimise the danger of wandering stock.

Please expect further developments in relation to the coordination of replacing fencing and that information will be provided as soon as possible.

Fence damage caused by bushfire

Government will reimburse reasonable insurance excess to a maximum of $400 on all insured Crown land boundary fences destroyed or damaged by bushfires or fire suppression back burning, regardless
of the tenure of the land where that fire originates.
Contact: Your insurance company.

Fence damage caused by fire agencies’ machinery
Government will repair or pay 100% restoration cost of fences damaged on private land as a result of machinery or emergency vehicles used in control of bushfires.

Fire control lines – Government will fully fund the rehabilitation of fire control lines established by DSE or CFA as part of Incident Management during bushfire suppression activity regardless of the origin of the bushfire (public/ Crown or private land).

Re-fencing properties after bushfire - (WorkSafe Victoria) provides advice for handling hazards that you may encounter when searching through or cleaning up fire affected areas.

The Victorian Farmers Federation is coordinating assistance available to landholders for the replacement of fencing that has been burnt, and a register for fencing volunteers.

If landholders are experiencing difficulty in replacing fencing that has been burnt they are encouraged to contact the VFF at:

Whittlesea and Nillumbik -

Alex Sutherland - 0419 354 266

Murrindindi Shire -

Matt Ellis - 0429 614 441