Emergency services Victoria is urging all Victorians, including those in Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay, to remain vigiliant ahead of fire warnings.
This week will present another day of risk for Victorians, with the Mallee, Wimmera, Northern Country, North Central, South West and Central districts all with an Extreme Fire Danger Rating. This means there will be dangerous fire conditions. Take action now to protect your life and property, and make sure to follow your bushfire plan.
The Victorian State Emergency Service has responded to more than 5700 requests for assistance since February 13. As calls continue to come in, volunteers are still working to clear trees and assist with building damage from the storms.
The storms resulted in 530,000 homes being left without power. As of Wednesday morning, that number was down to less than 3000.
Crews are prioritising essential services, including telecommunications and health, while conducting repairs that restore power to the largest number of customers at once.
The Prolonged Power Outage Payment of $1920 per week – for up to three weeks – will be available to all eligible households. AusNet Services will contact you from Tuesday evening if you have been without power for seven days and will follow up this week with further details on how to apply for the payment.
It is also important to look after your health and try to stay cool on hot days.
For people in areas still without power, there are other ways to stay cool such as wearing loose-fitting clothing; staying hydrated; using blinds or curtains to block sun from shining directly through windows; and staying cool by splashing water onto your skin or taking cool showers.
CFA chief officer Jason Heffernan said summer is not over yet, and people must stay alert.
“Last Tuesday’s conditions represented the worst fire risk day Victoria had experienced since the 2019/20 fire season and sadly, as a result more than 40 homes were lost
in the Grampians region and thousands of hectares of land was burnt across the west of the state.”
“CFA crews and other agencies continue to work on these bushfires, keeping them contained and extinguishing hot spots.”
“The fire threat is far from over. We have warm days coming up… this adds further pressure to firefighters already on the fire ground.”
“I want to thank CFA members and our partner agencies for all their tireless efforts and hard work over the past week as they continue to keep Victorians safe. “
