Bushfire clean-up program for Perth Hills communities

A $18.1 million recovery package has been announced to provide support for ongoing recovery efforts for Western Australian communities impacted by the devastating Wooroloo Bushfire.

Western Australian Minister for Emergency Services Francis Logan said that given the level of damage to residential properties, it was important that government stepped in to ensure a coordinated clean-up effort.

Minister for Emergency Management David Littleproud said the Wooroloo Bushfire burnt over 10,000 hectares across the local government areas of Swan and Mundaring.

“This bushfire severely impacted the community, endangering lives and destroying 86 homes, with many more damaged,” Littleproud said.

“The physical and emotional damage of the bushfire has taken a heavy toll, which is why this package will be directed to assist the clean-up effort and the community recovery and outreach program aimed at improving access to both financial and counselling support.”

The recovery package is being provided through the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) through a Category C Community Recovery Fund.

“The residential clean-up program will assist residents in the local government areas of Swan and Mundaring whose homes have been destroyed or damaged by the bushfire,” Logan said.

“Assistance will be provided for the clean-up and safe removal of bushfire debris from affected residential blocks.

“We are working with the Insurance Council of Australia and its members to ensure this clean-up program helps to maximise the insurance benefits for all those impacted.”

The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) has welcomed the announcement by the Commonwealth and Western Australian governments that there will be a single, coordinated clean-up program for all Perth Hills bushfire-affected residential properties.

There have been more than 730 claims from the Perth Hills bushfires which burned from 1 to 7 February 2021, with an estimated loss value of over $60 million.

A coordinated government-funded clean-up program was successfully implemented after the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires and last year’s Black Summer bushfires and is regarded as best practice for affected communities after a bushfire natural disaster.

ICA CEO, Andrew Hall  said, “This clean-up program will result in faster and safer site clean-up as well as prioritising community safety by removing and transporting potentially hazardous debris in a coordinated and secure way.”

“Importantly, a government-funded clean-up allows savings by insurers to be passed on to policyholders to maximise the funds available to them for rebuilding, as well as considering all affected property owners equally.”