PEOPLE affected by the south-west fires can apply for financial assistance through emergency relief support.
Those who have been impacted by the fires in in Moyne, Corangamite, Colac-Otway and Southern Grampians shires can now access emergency assistance funding to relieve personal hardship and distress.
The funding includes:
*Personal hardship assistance payments provides payments of up to $540 per adult and $270 per child (up to a maximum of $1,890 per household). This is to be used to meet immediate needs including emergency food, shelter, clothing, and personal items.
*Emergency re-establishment assistance provides up to $40,700 per eligible household that has been affected by fire at their primary place of residence. The grants are available for eligible clean-up, emergency accommodation, repairs, rebuilding (a principal place of residence) and replacing some damaged contents.
So far, the south-west fires have destroyed 18 homes.
Those wishing to access the funding can do so by contacting their council or going to an emergency relief centre for assessment.
The department of health and human services has given notice of the funding as part of a document it has released to help people deal with the fires and going forward into their recovery.
The document gives practical advice which includes safely cleaning up after a fire, ensuring those with a private water supply check the quality of the water and checking refrigerated food has not gone off during power failures.
