Disaster assistance has been made available to reimburse firefighting costs on Queensland’s Fraser Island as operations continue to manage ongoing bushfires.
The bushfires started in mid-November and have now burnt about 80,000 hectares of the island.
Nearly 100 firefighting personnel, supported by heavy machinery, dozens of fire trucks and multiple firefighting aircraft, are battling the blazes.
The assistance, which is being provided through the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) will ensure the reimbursement of extraordinary costs associated with firefighting operations to protect public health and safety.
Queensland Minister for Fire and Emergency Services Mark Ryan said: “This is a challenging blaze, in difficult terrain, not helped by the hot and dry conditions currently sweeping the state.
“But the community can rest assured that the professional leadership of Queensland Fire and Emergency Services and the dedication of the firefighters on the ground will be unrelenting.”
Information on disaster assistance can be found on the Federal Government’s Disaster Assist website and the Queensland Government’s Disaster Management website.