Governments step in with offers of relief cash to help victims of Dereel bushfire
Governments step in with offers of relief cash to help victims of Dereel bushfire
29 March 2013
published by www.theage.com.au
Australia — Rob and Loretta Butler returned home to their property on Ferrers Road Dereel to find a note from Grovedale and Geelong West CFA crews.
”Closed your windows and put your house out at 3.30pm,” the note read.
Mr Butler, a diabetic, said he had to be taken to hospital when his blood sugar levels dropped as the fire raged.
”I was in the firestorm. We were caught down the road and I couldn’t get out,” he said. ”I shit myself. We were scared as bloody hell.”
He said there were about five permanent residences on the road and several holiday homes.
”These are all our friends,” he said.
On Thursday, the federal and state governments announced emergency relief payments of up to $1200 per family would be payable to fire victims. Residents whose homes are uninhabitable may be eligible for grants up to $30,000, Police and Emergency Services Minister Kim Wells said.
Arson detectives are investigating the cause of the bushfire, which began on Wednesday at Dereel, about 100 kilometres west of Melbourne, and burnt through 1200 hectares, damaging up to 16 properties.
By Thursday morning, fire crews had contained the blaze.
State Bushfire Control Centre spokesman Tony Bearzatto said the CFA believed the fire started on the side of a road outside Dereel.
More than 70 trucks, 300 firefighters and three aircraft were brought in to help control the blaze. Four firefighters were injured when their truck caught fire after hitting a tree. Police said another firefighter was injured on Thursday morning.
Premier Denis Napthine toured the region on Thursday, warning Victorians to stay vigilant about the risk of fire, despite it being relatively late in the season. ”What we’ve had is a very dry summer, and the grass is just tinder dry,” he said.
The Premier promised improvements to mobile phone reception in the Dereel area.
Dereel CFA captain Darryn Hill said it was tragic some homes had been lost, but it could have been worse.
”We’re just very lucky we’ve saved the township,” he said.
At a community meeting on Thursday, locals raised concerns about getting access to their houses, and caring for pets and livestock that remained at their properties.
Frank and Lisa Degroot lost the holiday house Mr Degroot had built with his father 10 years ago. He had to call relatives to tell them he was safe with his family in Geelong.
”The water tank is still there, it’s ripped through the house but the tank is still there,” Mr Degroot said.
The house had recently been put on the market. It was insured.
Mr Degroot said there was little of sentimental value in the house, although he and his father were saddened to lose the property they had built.
”The kids were upset yesterday, they lost a few of their toys in the house.”
Mrs Degroot said it had been strange watching her property burn on television.
”You got the shakes and that sort of thing to see it,” she said.
Kylie Walton, from the Wurrook Merino Stud near Rokewood, said the Dereel fire burnt part of her 2800-hectare sheep farm and came within 500 metres of her house.
She said she had been scared and the sky had been full of smoke and helicopters all afternoon.
Her husband, Paul, had spent the afternoon battling the flames and moving stock but they were in constant phone contact.
Initially the blaze was moving south, from Dereel towards Rokewood and Corindhap, but at 4.30pm it had changed direction and was moving north-east, away from her farm.
