Homes of volunteer firefighters among 350 structures lost so far in ‘heartbreaking’ Victorian bushfires

The number of buildings lost in Victoria’s devastating bushfires has risen to 350, with authorities warning that number would grow as assessors are able to access more areas affected by 12 large fires still burning across the state.

Speaking from the small western Victorian town of Natimuk on Monday, Jacinta Allan also announced a fundraising appeal to support victims of the fires.

The Victorian premier said Natimuk, about 25km 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, she said, “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.”

Victoria’s emergency management commissioner, Tim Wiebusch, said the bushfires had caused 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 bad season.

Jason Heffernan, the Country Fire Authority’s chief officer, said data from the Bureau of Meteorology showed the weather was likely to warm up again in late January, bringing with it an increased 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.”

At least 154 structures were destroyed in the Longwood blaze which burned through Euroa, Yarck and surrounds, though it remains unclear how many were homes, sheds or outbuildings.

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 has lost 10 structures, and Walwa, which has lost four structures along with “agricultural and planation impacts” that will continue to grow, Wiebusch said.

In Mount Mercer, one house and 12 sheds were destroyed, while Kennedys Creek in the Otways and Dargo each lost one one property.

Wiebusch confirmed the remains found in Longwood on Sunday were that of a man whose car had been found run off the road. He has not been formally identified.

“That gentleman was found around 100 metres from that car, and it was in the fire landscape,” he said.

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said the news was “devastating” and his thoughts were with the man’s family, friends and community.

“Ou 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.

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Wiebeusch said 12 fires continued to burn across the state on Monday, though eased conditions had meant firefighters were able to contain blazes in Streatham, Mount Mercer and Natimuk.

Two emergency warnings were in place as of 1.30pm Monday, one related to the Walwa fire and another in the south-west, where the Carlisle River blaze near Irrewillipe remains out of control, with residents told 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 6pm, incident controller Michael Masters told a community meeting on Monday afternoon.

While the fire burned through more than 3,600 hectares, he said “good luck and work by our firefighters” had saved buildings that included the local primary school, the mobile phone tower, the petrol station, the general store and the football grounds.

Victorian bushfire appeal launched

Allan on Monday announced the state and federal government would begin making assistance payments of up to $52,250 available to eligible uninsured households so they can re-establish their principal place of residence.

The Rural Financial Counselling Service, first set up as part of the government’s drought response, would also be expanded to provide mental health support, as well as financial and business counselling. Grants of up to $5,000 will be made 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 the government had cut funding to emergency services, calling the claims “inaccurate”.

Heffernan added that the CFA budget had increased year-on-year and was provided with an additional $20m after it had warned the government this fire season would be “a big one’.

He said he understood volunteer concerns about old fire trucks and said “quite a number” had been removed from the fleet.

“We have over 167 new trucks on order or in production right now,” Heffernan said.