While firefighters battle catastrophic blazes across Victoria’s north, another frontline has been quietly at work — locals and community groups who have not rested since the fires began.
Day after day, food vans have rolled into relief centres, volunteers have driven hours before dawn and late into the night, and community networks have mobilised without pause, bridging the gap between emergency response and human need.
Sikh Volunteers Australia has been on the ground for 10 consecutive days, serving freshly cooked meals to families, evacuees, and emergency workers.
Travelling more than four hours from the southeast, their vans have reached fire-affected towns including Seymour, Mansfield, Yea, Benalla, and Wodonga.
Each day brought a new location, a new menu, and the same commitment to serve anyone in need.
Supporting these efforts, the Country Women’s Association of Victoria’s Berwick Branch and Officer’s Indian Grocer donated food and supplies to keep the vans running.
Well-known Community Pete also launched a statewide fundraiser, collecting essentials such as food, water, sunscreen, toiletries, and generators to deliver where they were needed most.
The response went beyond organised groups. In Kooweerup, resident Barry Owen opened his property overnight to shelter five displaced horses.
Wildlife rescuers and shelters reported being overwhelmed with sick, injured, and orphaned animals, with volunteers working tirelessly to respond to the unfolding crisis.
Officer Sikh community leader and advocate Harpreet Singh Kandra said the response was grounded in faith and experience.
“We are organising special prayers for the safety of all and for the emergency services to be able to manage this disaster,” he said.
“As in the past, we would be keen to help in any form we can, including helping with rehabilitation work as we did in the past by supporting Bunyip devastation reconstruction group volunteers.”
There is no finish line yet. Emergency Management Commissioner Tim Wiebusch said the wind, heat and risk of dry lightning will increase the risk for “unpredictable, uncontrollable and fast moving fires”.
Mr Kandra added a broader warning: “We would also urge everyone to ponder that we are having more and more of these disasters and climate change is certainly to blame. Let’s work together to abate climate change and better adapt to the changing climate.”
