Storm clean up support

Bushfire Recovery Victoria have been supporting the clean-up and recovery work for the owners of private property damaged by the storms and floods that occurred on 9-10 June 2021. 

New registrations for BRV's Residential Clean-Up Program closed on Sunday 31 October at 11.59pm. 

To request support, you must:

  • Be a private property owner
  • The private property must be in one of the 39 local government areas (LGAs) impacted by the June 2021 storms and floods.
  • The damage to your property must have occurred as a direct result of the storms and floods on 9-10 June 2021. 

 

To be eligible for the Clean-Up program on private property, the affected property must contain a structure(s) that was destroyed or damaged beyond repair. Structures will be cleared and any resulting debris will be removed.

Properties eligible for the Clean-Up program will be assessed for hazards posing a risk to access for clean-up or work-crews and clean-up operations.

Definition of a structure

Structures must meet at least two of the following criteria to be eligible for clean-up:

  • A building or object constructed from several parts
  • A building or object that rests on deliberately placed foundations
  • A building or object that is connected to two or more essential systems (water, power, internet, sewage, gas, solar etc.)

Program cost

The Storm and Flood Clean-Up program is fully-funded by the Australian and Victorian Governments and provided at no cost to eligible property owners, regardless of whether they were insured or not.

How the Clean-Up program works

There are four phases to the clean-up program:

  1. Initial assessment of properties to identify hazards, understand the scope and type of work required, confirm the cause of the damage and assign a priority categorisation.
  2. Making properties safe by removing hazards from eligible sites, particularly dangerous trees and materials.
  3. Demolition and removal of structures and debris.
  4. Remediation works including post site clearance and rectification works.

Every property is different and will be managed on a case-by-case basis. BRV will contact registered property owners and work with them to ensure the clean-up process is explained, and that works are done as safely and efficiently as possible.

During the initial site assessment, BRV and Johns Lyng Group will discuss the scope of the clean-up with property owners and provide a consent form that property owners will need to sign for the clean-up to progress.

The main focus of any clean-up is always safety - safety for the community and for the people undertaking the work.

Safe access must be guaranteed before works begin. Site assessments will be needed and all hazards like dangerous trees must be managed appropriately.

Once those have been addressed, clean-up work can begin as soon as possible.

Clean-Up program delivery partner

BRV will partner with Johns Lyng Group to undertake the Storm and Flood Clean-Up program.

Johns Lyng Group is Australia’s largest disaster recovery specialist with more than 67 years’ experience playing leading roles in the recovery efforts of major disasters Australia-wide.

They have a national footprint of 47 offices, and more than 1000 employees and a nationwide network of more than 6000 sub-contractors specialising in disaster recovery. 

 

 

 

The Storm and Flood Clean-Up program is also accepting registrations for the assessment of dangerous trees on private property which pose a risk to a place of residence or personal safety.

If you have trees on your property that may be life-threatening and are at risk of falling onto your home as a result of the June 2021 storm, you can register your property for assessment.

 

VicForests is a State-owned business that harvests, sells and regrows sustainable timber from Victoria’s native forests. Wind thrown timber on private properties may be able to be processed by VicForests. We are working with VicForests to provide support to property owners with fallen timber.

Property owners can contact VicForests detailing their location, how much timber is on their properties and dimensions.

VicForests will be in touch to assess the timber and give advice on how it can be used.

 

Once you’ve confirmed your eligibility, you can register your property for Clean-Up, or register for the assessment of dangerous trees by visiting www.brv.vic.gov.au/cleanup or phoning 1800 560 760.

A BRV representative will make contact with you to confirm details about the affected property and arrange an initial assessment of the property.

Property owners with wind thrown trees and fallen timber can contact VicForests by emailing vfs.admin@vicforests.com.au and detailing their location, how much timber is on their properties and dimensions.