The number of homes destroyed by bushfires in western Victoria has risen as residents return to assess the damage.
Prime Minister Jacinta Allan confirmed 44 homes have been lost in Pomonal, in the Grampians National Park, up from 24 on Thursday.
Prime Minister Jacinta Allan confirmed that 44 homes have been lost in Pomonal, in the Grampians National Park.
Residents began returning to their properties to assess the damage after fire threats were eased.
“It’s a little bit more than previously reported,” he told ABC Radio this morning.
‘Pomonal is a small community, so a significant proportion, perhaps up to half of the town, has suffered losses.
“There will be a lot of rebuilding there.”
At least three businesses and 23 offices have also been destroyed in the city.
A house was also lost at Dadswells Bridge, north of the national park, in another bushfire.
Residents of Pomonal and Dadswells Bridge began returning to their properties yesterday afternoon to inspect the damage after fire threats were reduced.
Marc Sleeman, chief executive of Grampians Tourism and a member of the community, said he was lucky his house in Pomonal was still standing.
“It’s bittersweet to know that so many friends and family have lost their homes and businesses,” Sleeman told AAP.
“I know we’ve lost some sheds and boats and things like that, but small things compared to what other people have lost.”
It has been revealed that almost 200 people were waiting for emergency help shortly before 4pm on Tuesday.
The complainants have told the Herald of the sun that residents waited up to six minutes for triple 0 calls to be answered as Victoria faced its worst day of fire risk in almost five years.
Leaked internal records exposed the extent of the “life-threatening delays.”
It has been revealed that almost 200 people were waiting for emergency help shortly before 4pm on Tuesday, with people trying to contact a State Emergency Service operator being on hold for 23 minutes.
This morning on 3AW radio, Emergency Services Minister Jaclyn Symes admitted there were long delays for Victorians requesting police help and even longer delays for people requesting SES help.
“That was getting a tremendous amount of calls, but it’s not an emergency line,” he said.
‘That’s the number people call when their life is not in danger but there are trees around their property and they can’t get out.
‘There were some delays on that line, as you will appreciate. More than 4,800 calls have been received to the SES, mainly in relation to trees.’
Pomonal residents have been warned that local tap water is not safe to drink, even if boiled.
Emergency relief payments of $640 per adult and $320 per child with a maximum of $2,240 per family are available to affected residents.
Payments of $49,000 are available to help eligible people who have lost their homes rebuild.
People will be able to apply for payments by phone or in person at emergency help centers in Ararat and Stawell.
At least two schools, Pomonal and Halls Gap elementary schools, were closed Thursday due to the impact of the fire.
Almost all of the fires set in Victoria on Tuesday are believed to have been sparked by lightning strikes as severe storms hit the state.