Inquiry gives voice to fire-affected communities 

The Legislative Council’s Environment and Planning Committee travelled across regional Victoria to investigate the fires, holding public hearings in Colac, Quantong, Alexandra, Harcourt, Melbourne and online with communities in the state’s North East. 

‘The regional hearings powerfully reflect the energy, dedication and resilience of Victorians who experienced circumstances that were both unimaginable and regrettably all too familiar in this state,’ Committee Chair Michael Galea told the Legislative Council when tabling the Committee report.    

Residents spoke not only about what they had lost, but about what they continue to carry. 

For many, the fires are not over. 

‘This is not just loss, it is ongoing trauma, grief and exhaustion,’ Fawcett resident Fiona Lindsay told the Committee during a hearing in Alexandra. 

'Since returning home I struggle to be there. The smell of scorched earth remains. Standing in the ruins of your life’s work, trying to reconcile it. There is insomnia, there is guilt and there is hyper-vigilance.' 

Even months later, the trauma lingers in everyday moments. 

'My son is still asking now if the clouds over the valley are actually clouds or they are smoke,' she said. 

Her testimony echoed a theme that surfaced repeatedly throughout the inquiry; while the emergency response may end when the fire front is contained, recovery can be a far longer and more complex journey.

“ ‘This is not just loss, it is ongoing trauma, grief and exhaustion.’ ”

Fiona Lindsay, Fawcett resident

Communities affected by the fires described a profound psychological impact that extended well beyond the immediate danger. 

Evidence presented by the West Wimmera Action Group, based on community surveys, revealed widespread experiences of anxiety, trauma and survivor’s guilt. 

One resident described the emotional burden of escaping significant personal loss while neighbours were not as fortunate. 

'Guilt for being fortunate enough to have not lost my home,' the resident told the inquiry. 

'The speed of the fire, from when I saw smoke go up to being told to evacuate, was under an hour. That took days to process. I found it hard to concentrate at work and was mentally fatigued by the end of the week following the fire.' 

Farmers and other rural business owners also spoke of the emotional toll of the fires. 

‘Obviously you have to milk your cows twice a day. You have milk. If you do not milk them, it becomes an animal welfare issue. You have to feed them, and often you do not have feed because you may have been burnt out,’ Lachlan Sutherland told a hearing in Colac. 

The fires impacted 150,000 hectares of agricultural land, caused more than 45,000 livestock deaths and destroyed around 9,625 kilometres of fencing, causing a significant disruption to farms, tourism businesses and other enterprises. 

‘When you see a 70‑ or 80‑year‑old farmer crying because it is the one bale that is going to feed his cattle, it is hard. It is hard on us. We were fortunate: we saved our cattle and our fodder. But we carry guilt. A lot of people that have not lost homes, fencing, fodder or their livelihoods will say the same thing – that they feel guilt,’ Sam Hicks told a hearing in Alexandra.

“ 'I entered the fire on 7 January and was on a fire truck for 36 days straight.' ”

David Webb, CFA volunteer

The testimony highlighted the cumulative impact of repeated emergencies on regional communities increasingly confronted by severe fire seasons. 

The inquiry also heard powerful evidence from firefighters and volunteers who spent weeks battling fires under demanding conditions. 

David Webb recounted his experience during the peak of the emergency. 

'I entered the fire on 7 January and was on a fire truck for 36 days straight,' he told an open mic session in Alexandra. 

Committee Chair Michael Galea said one of the key aims of the inquiry was to give a voice to fire-affected communities. 

‘Their views and experiences form a significant body of evidence which has informed our own findings, and can be drawn on by others,' he said.

The Committee produced 93 findings and 80 recommendations. 

The report can be accessed on the Committee’s website.