The number of buildings lost in Victoria’s devastating bushfires has risen to 350, with authorities warning that the number could grow as assessors gain access to more areas affected by 12 large fires still burning across the state. Speaking from the small western Victorian town of Natimuk on Monday, Premier Jacinta Allan announced a fundraising appeal to support victims of the fires.
Natimuk, located about 25 kilometers west of the regional city of Horsham, lost at least 30 homes when the Grass Flat blaze tore through the township on Friday. The “heartbreaking” losses include the homes of volunteer firefighters who, according to Allan, “weren’t here to protect their own home because they were out protecting others.”
“This is a small community, a strong community,” Allan told reporters. “That 30 homes represents a significant proportion of the population here in Natimuk. But the community is already talking about how it’s working together, how it’s going to rebuild, how it’s supporting one another.”
Widespread Damage Across Victoria
Victoria’s emergency management commissioner, Tim Wiebusch, reported widespread damage across the state, with further losses expected as assessments continue. Conditions eased across the state on Monday, but Victorians have been warned to prepare for a challenging season.
Jason Heffernan, the Country Fire Authority’s chief officer, noted that data from the Bureau of Meteorology suggests the weather is likely to warm up again in late January, increasing the fire risk.
“There’s a lot of fire in the landscape,” he said. “Much work will be done between now and then to contain these fires, but there is time for Victorians to get ready for the rest of the season, to make the preparations.”
Impact on Communities
At least 154 structures were destroyed in the Longwood blaze, which burned through Euroa, Yarck, and surrounding areas. The exact number of homes, sheds, or outbuildings affected remains unclear. Streatham has lost 59 structures, including 18 homes, while Ravenswood and Harcourt have lost 47 homes and three businesses. Both areas also suffered significant livestock losses, Wiebusch added.
Other affected areas include the border towns of Yarroweyah, which lost 10 structures, and Walwa, which lost four structures along with “agricultural and plantation impacts” that will continue to grow, according to Wiebusch. In Mount Mercer, one house and 12 sheds were destroyed, while Kennedys Creek in the Otways and Dargo each lost one property.
Tragic Loss of Life
Wiebusch confirmed the remains found in Longwood on Sunday were those of a man whose car had been found run off the road. He has not been formally identified.
“That gentleman was found around 100 meters from that car, and it was in the fire landscape,” he said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the news as “devastating” and expressed his condolences to the man’s family, friends, and community. “Our thoughts are also with all those who are still doing it incredibly tough, those people who have lost their homes,” he said. “These are communities that are under real pressure.”
Another man, in his 60s, was found dead in Harcourt on Friday, in a suspected medical episode.
Efforts to Contain the Fires
Wiebusch reported that 12 fires continued to burn across the state on Monday, though eased conditions allowed firefighters to contain blazes in Streatham, Mount Mercer, and Natimuk. Two emergency warnings were in place as of 1:30 pm Monday, one related to the Walwa fire and another in the southwest, where the Carlisle River blaze near Irrewillipe remains out of control, with residents advised to take shelter.
Warnings in the Longwood area were downgraded overnight to “watch and act,” while the Otway fire threat has eased. Meanwhile, local residents will be able to return to Harcourt to assess their properties from 6 pm, incident controller Michael Masters told a community meeting on Monday afternoon.
While the fire burned through more than 3,600 hectares, Masters noted that “good luck and work by our firefighters” had saved buildings including the local primary school, the mobile phone tower, the petrol station, the general store, and the football grounds.
Support and Recovery Initiatives
On Monday, Premier Allan announced that state and federal governments would begin making assistance payments of up to $52,250 available to eligible uninsured households to help them re-establish their principal place of residence. The Rural Financial Counselling Service, initially set up as part of the government’s drought response, will be expanded to provide mental health support, as well as financial and business counselling. Grants of up to $5,000 will be available from Friday for events and activities that support mental health and wellbeing.
The state government has also launched the 2026 Victorian Bushfire Appeal, creating a central avenue for donations to support fire-affected communities.
“Donations will be able to start being made tomorrow online and I do encourage people who are looking at a way of providing support, the best way to provide that support is through this appeal,” Allan said.
The premier also denied claims that the government had cut funding to emergency services, calling them “inaccurate.” Heffernan added that the CFA budget had increased year-on-year and was provided with an additional $20 million after it warned the government this fire season would be “a big one.”
Heffernan acknowledged volunteer concerns about old fire trucks, stating that “quite a number” had been removed from the fleet. “We have over 167 new trucks on order or in production right now,” he said.
As Victoria braces for the remainder of the bushfire season, the resilience and unity of its communities remain a beacon of hope amid the devastation.
