“The conditions have eased for today and for perhaps the next couple of days, but we are likely to see those conditions change as we head into next week,” he said.
“There’s a lot of work going on now to open up what are very much roads that are still unsafe to be travelled.”
Senior meteorologist Angus Hines said temperatures and wind speeds “aren’t particularly high”, which was good news for firefighters, but added that a lack of rain forecast was troublesome.
“It is another dry day, so there’s no support or help from rain, which is sort of the No.1 thing we’d be hoping for at the moment across those active fire grounds,” he told the ABC.
A high fire danger rating has been declared for the Mallee, Wimmera, North Central, North East and South West districts, while other regions are considered to have moderate risk.
On Tuesday, Premier Jacinta Allan announced that the state government has spent an initial $10 million in state and federal funding to assist uninsured fire victims with cleaning up their destroyed homes. An additional $5 million has been spent to waive tip fees for fire-affected communities.
Jaime and Ann Laherty-Hunt at the remains of their property near Ruffy.Credit: Eddie Jim
Allan made the announcement at a health centre in Alexandra and was heckled by a member of the public who claimed the CFA was underfunded.
“Shame on you, shame on your government for what you’ve done,” the woman said, according to Nine News.
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Allan said the claim of underfunding was false and peddling incorrect information could add stress on fire traumatised communities.
Allan and the CFA board and its senior management on Monday denied funding had been cut and defended the organisation’s ageing fleet – despite the comments appearing at odds with the CFA’s most recent figures.
The confrontation occurred on the fringe of the Longwood fire, which claimed the life of cattle farmer Maxwell Hobson.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese began his press conference in Canberra on Tuesday morning by expressing his condolences over Hobson’s death.
“That community will be grieving today and I say to those people in Victoria, but also those in the flood-affected areas of north Queensland: this is not over,” Albanese said.
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“Please stay safe, listen to the authorities and once again, I thank the volunteers, the police and emergency services, the rural fire service and others who are helping each other get through what is a very difficult time.”
Tuesday’s $15 million relief package follows Monday’s announcement that grants of up to $52,000 for householders who lost their homes in the fires and were not insured.
Nearly 800 people have also applied for hardship payments of up to $1000 per adult and $400 per child.
Allan said more relief funding would be announced in due course.
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