Arabic version: تحقيق حرائق الغابات في فيكتوريا يقدّم 80 توصية
According to ABC News, a Victorian parliament committee has tabled its report into the devastating 2026 summer bushfires, making 80 recommendations for the state government. The Legislative Council Environment and Planning Committee examined the causes of the fires and the emergency services response.
The January fires burned about 440,000 hectares across Victoria, including more than 130,000 hectares in the Longwood fire and more than 120,000 hectares in the Walwa fire. The report confirmed the loss of 451 homes, 1,110 other outbuildings and 45,000 livestock. In Harcourt, where a fire moved quickly through the central Victorian town, 74 homes were destroyed.
The inquiry received 480 submissions and held public hearings throughout the state. Its terms of reference included government, agency and community preparation; firefighter funding, equipment and appliances; the resilience of critical services and infrastructure; and misinformation before the fire season. It also reviewed earlier inquiries, reports and Royal Commissions and considered progress on their findings.
The committee identified “systemic shortcomings” in fuel management, emergency communications, animal welfare response, infrastructure resilience, volunteer support, recovery coordination and community recovery. It found operational CFA volunteer numbers had fallen 26 per cent over a decade, recommending an external review. The report also called for accelerated replacement of all CFA single-cab frontline firefighting tankers, noting that 802 remained operational and 650 had rear seating that exposed members to the elements.
It recommended reviews of disaster-payment support packages and eligibility rules after finding some residents who stayed to defend properties were ineligible for government assistance. The committee said payment access was complex and administratively burdensome, and urged temporary modular housing for people recovering from the fires until homes are rebuilt. While it found the VicEmergency app highly effective, it said inconsistent messaging and usability issues contributed to confusion. The Victorian government has six months to respond.
