One Dead as Bushfires Rage Across Victoria

A person has died as destructive bushfires continue to burn across Victoria, with authorities warning the state faces a prolonged and difficult recovery.

Victoria Police confirmed on Sunday afternoon that a body was found in the Longwood fire zone, about 100 metres from a vehicle off Yarck Road at Gobur. The deceased has not yet been formally identified.

Emergency services were battling 32 active fires across the state on Sunday, including 10 emergency-level blazes concentrated in the northeast. Thousands of firefighters remained on the ground as conditions continued to challenge containment efforts.

More than 300 buildings have been destroyed and in excess of 300,000 hectares of bushland and farmland have been burned.

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan warned communities the crisis was far from over. Speaking in Bendigo, she said fires were expected to continue burning for some time.
"We are not through the worst of this by a long way," she said, describing the recovery as a long and demanding process.

The federal government will make $19 million in disaster relief payments available from Wednesday to residents in affected communities including Barkers Creek, Harcourt, Longwood, Natimuk and Ruffy. Payments include a one-off $1,000 for eligible adults and $400 per child for those who have suffered serious injury, major property damage or the loss of a loved one.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the support would extend beyond the immediate emergency.
"My message to Victorians is simple: we've got your back, not just during this crisis but through the recovery," he said.

Meanwhile, a dramatic rescue unfolded in the small community of Caveat, where a family and their cat were airlifted to safety after being cut off by fire. Two women and a 92-year-old man sheltered inside a shipping container as flames swept through their remote property, destroying their home. With roads inaccessible, a police helicopter evacuated the group to Seymour on Saturday morning.

One of the women suffered burns to her hands and had her hair singed, while the family's cat, Grisha, was also safely rescued. A police air wing officer described the scene from above as devastating, saying the family was "extremely lucky" to survive.

A state of emergency remains in force across 20 local government areas as crews focus on major firegrounds in central Victoria and near the New South Wales border.

At Harcourt, northeast of Castlemaine, at least 50 structures-including homes and businesses-were lost. Cafe owners Bonnie and Remy Sowman said they feared their home had been destroyed after seeing footage of the fire overnight. While their house survived, their business was reduced to ruins.

Despite forecasts from the Bureau of Meteorology indicating milder conditions, authorities warned that shifting winds could still pose significant risks. Firefighters reported the Harcourt blaze was about 80 per cent contained, but cautioned that full control was still some way off.

Country Fire Authority Chief Officer Jason Heffernan said while conditions had eased slightly, crews faced an ongoing battle to secure firegrounds and protect communities.