Australia pledges A$100M aid after Victoria bushfires
Grants, loans and relief funds rolled out for farms, townsA
14 January 2026
1 minute read
By: Australia pledged an aid package of close to A$100 million ($67 million) on Wednesday after large bushfires in the southeastern state of Victoria razed hundreds of buildings, forced dozens of communities to evacuate and killed one person, reported Reuters.
The support package includes A$15 million to establish recovery information hubs in bushfire-affected communities and A$12 million for local councils to rebuild public spaces. Households hit by extended power outages caused by the fires can apply for A$16 million in power disruption payments.
Farmers who suffered livestock losses and property damage will have access to A$40 million in grants of up to A$75,000 each, as well as A$10 million in concessional loans of up to A$250,000. A further A$4 million has been allocated for financial counselling services. The package is being jointly funded by the federal government and the state government of Victoria.
The bushfires began last week during a summer heatwave and have burned more than 400,000 hectares of land across Victoria. More than 770 buildings, including 228 homes, have been destroyed, and thousands of properties have lost power.
Police said on Sunday that human remains were found near the town of Longwood, the site of the largest blaze. More than 15,000 livestock are estimated to have died, according to the Victorian Farmers Federation. Eleven fires remain active across the state, with authorities warning it could take weeks to bring them under control.
($1 = A$1.4934)
