Recovery continues as worst of bushfire threat subsides

LATEST ON VICTORIAN BUSHFIRE SITUATION:

* Twelve active major bushfires

* No emergency warnings after Walwa and Otways fires downgraded to watch and act

* 20 watch and act warnings and 20 advice warnings remain

* Over 500 structures lost across Victoria in the fires

* More than 404,000 hectares burned this bushfire season

* At least 16,500 livestock confirmed lost, including about 1000 cattle

* A trailer sparking along the Hume Freeway is being investigated as one potential cause of the deadly Longwood fire

* High fire danger rating for Mallee, Wimmera, South West, Northern Country, North Central and North East districts

* Moderate fire danger for Central, West and South Gippsland and East Gippsland regions

* Advice warning issued statewide for air quality, with forecast poor for all areas except Central

IMPACT ACROSS THE FIRE GROUNDS

HARCOURT

* 51 homes and three businesses and 23 outbuildings destroyed

* Livestock and agricultural impacts

OTWAYS

* One structure lost and a range of other outbuildings being assessed

NATIMUK

* 17 homes and 18 outbuildings damaged by fire

* 40 power poles impacted

LONGWOOD

* Burning over 144,000 hectares with a perimeter of over 400 kilometres

* 90 homes destroyed

* 243 outbuildings destroyed or damaged

* Power poles and other infrastructure also lost

* No decision made to move patients at an aged care facility in Eildon

STREATHAM

* 15 homes and 39 outbuildings lost

WALWA

* Four houses lost

* 28 kilometres of fencing and over 10,000 hectares of plantation pine destroyed

YARROWEE

* 12 structures lost

* Over 3500 hectares of farmland and horticultural areas razed

MOUNT MERCER

* One house destroyed

DARGO (WONNANGATTA COMPLEX)

* One house lost and others being investigated

RECOVERY OPERATIONS UNDERWAY

* Significant work being done in fire-affected communities to reopen roads for primary producers and local residents

* Road between Alexandra and Yea and Alexandra and Yarck conditionally opened for essential services and people providing agricultural relief at certain times of the day

* Fire escorts at 8.30am, 12.30pm and 3.30pm every day for relief crews

* Over 100 roads, stretching 155 kilometres closed across the state

* Great Ocean Road has reopened with no restrictions

FINANCIAL SUPPORTS AVAILABLE

* Nearly 800 applications for Victoria's emergency personal hardship payments, a one-off payment of $680 per adult and $340 per child and up to $2380 per eligible family

* $5 million government investment to waive fees at local landfills in 18 fire-affected local government areas

* Emergency Recovery Hotline established: 1800 560 760

* Six relief centres and four recovery hubs established where people can go to get significant support from a range of government agencies

* Victorian bushfire appeal fund opens to donations

* Household re-establishment grant of up to $52,250 for uninsured people who don't have building and contents insurance

* $10 million initial allocation for a bushfire clean up program for uninsured and underinsured households who've lost their primary place of residence to start their clean up

Sources: State Control Centre, Victorian Farmers Federation, Emergency Management Commissioner and Victorian government