THE State's bushfire season has started early, with more than 13,000 hectares burnt out in Western and North East Victorian regions.
The most recent incident saw a fire flare up in the Black Range this week, south-west of Horsham, as a result of lightning following the weekend's horror weather.
Residents in the Nurrabiel, Toolondo and Mockinya districts on the north-western edge of the Black Range were shocked on Monday night to receive evacuation notices from the CFA after the fire broke containment lines, however a heavy back burning program ensured there was little private land burnt.
The fires at Moyston, near Ararat, sparked up last Friday, burning about 4600ha. About 3444 sheep were lost in the blaze, but all urgent animal welfare issues have now been addressed.
The response is now in the recovery phase with landowners able to access properties.
Charlie De Fegely, who has a farm in the area, said he managed to save his house in the blaze, but many others in the region were hit hard. He is a Victorian Farmers Federation councillor, and is helping to co-ordinate the VFF recovery efforts in the region.
"The people impacted were really too close to start of fire…and didn't have sufficient time to do anything," he said.
The VFF is taking fodder and agistment offers.
"Offers of agistment would be fantastic, especially in areas where there is water. In the whole of the Ararat district - farmers were already carting water," Mr De Fegely said.
In the North East, where fires hit in mid-December, a spokesperson from the new Department of Economic Development, Transport and Resources (formerly Department of Primary Industries & Environment) said the community was now in a recovery phase.
Two community agriculture information sessions had been held, and a number of information sessions and field days are planned in the coming weeks.
Among those impacted was Ruffy producer Zel Austin, who runs the West Clover Angus stud. Her farm was hit in fire at Creightons Creek and Ruffy.
"We were totally burnt out," she said, adding a number of stock had also been lost, including all the family's Merino wethers, as well as their house and a number of sheds.
Next door, her neighbour lost 200 head of cattle. She said the emotional toll on residents had been huge, but there was plenty of support.
They had also been offered fodder donations too.
"The community and broader support has been extraordinary," she said.
BlazeAid had moved onto her farm already and had begun to pull down damaged boundary fencing.
Mrs Austin described the fire as "fast and fierce".
"I have never experienced anything like this before," she said.
However, she was trying to remain positive about the future, and was hopeful to have stock back on the farm by the end of the year.
With rain forecast at end of week, Mrs Austin was also crossing her fingers the falls would be gentle, because heavy rain would erode the soil even further and cause contaminated run-off into dams.
Volunteer BlazeAid teams have also moved into the Benalla and Euroa areas to rebuild fences. Thoona field co-ordinator John Lillico said he hadn't estimated how many kilometres of fences had been burned but the job would probably take about three months. People affected by the fires have been urged to contact BlazeAid as soon as possible
Meanwhile, Premier Daniel Andrews has announced emergency assistance grants of more than $32,000 will be made available for residents affected by the Moyston fire. Assistance is also available to people affected by the Creightons Creek fire.
Victorian fires
North East Fires - December 2014
(principally Stewarton, Lake Rowan, Lurg and Creighton's Creek)
170 properties impacted by these fires
The four main fires burnt 8820ha
Summary of damage from these fires to date:
- Hay sheds: 7
- Machinery sheds: 6
- Fencing: 465km
- Field crops: 500ha standing; 915ha stubble
- Hay: 1265t
- Pasture: 7153ha
- Sheep: 3047
- Cattle: 341
Western fires - Jan 2-6
Moyston had the most significant impact from fires in the west. This fire started 5km north of Moyston and burnt 4600ha between Moyston and Maroona.
An initial assessment has estimated the following losses to date;
- Hay, wool and machinery shed: 5
- Fencing: 2494km
- Field crops: 88ha
- Hay: 485t
- Pasture: 2548ha
- Sheep: 3444
- Wine grapes: 4ha
Source: Department of Economic Development, Transport and Resources, information current January 6, 2015
