Pyrenees Shire Council to make submission to Bushfire Inquiry

Published on 18 March 2026

Pyrenees Shire Council will make a submission to the Victorian Government’s Parliamentary Inquiry into the 2026 Summer Bushfires.

The 9 January Streatham Yalla-Y-Poora fire had serious and ongoing impacts on the Pyrenees community, causing damage to infrastructure and disruption to the environment and local economy.

Mayor Damian Ferrari said the inquiry is an opportunity to highlight the challenges faced in response and recovery, share lessons learned, and identify opportunities for improvement.

“This fire has devastated the southern part of our Shire. Councils are at the coalface of emergency events, and we must have adequate resourcing and financial support from the Victorian Government to do our job properly,” Cr Ferrari said.

Council’s submission will address key issues including:

• Impacts on community, infrastructure, environment, and the local economy
• Limitations of a small rural council in responding to major emergencies
• Cumulative effects of multiple major events over the past decade (two floods, three fires, a storm, and drought)
• Impacts on normal Council service delivery
• Funding programs and gaps affecting both individuals and Council
• Need for significant increases to Municipal Emergency Recovery Program funding
• Environmental factors such as climate, rainfall-driven grass growth, and hazardous roadside trees
• Coordination between councils and government agencies
• Community expectations and recovery experiences
• Insurance challenges, particularly on DEECA-managed land

The submission will be lodged by the 19 April deadline.