Hi, I’m Ben Fraser. You might know me as a journalist in Portland and now a newspaper editor in Horsham.

Unfortunately, I’m asking for help for my sister, Danika, and her partner, Ben, as they face the devastating task of rebuilding their lives after the Ravenswood fire stole everything from them.

On Friday, January 9, the Ravenswood fire was one of ten major bushfires in Victoria. Their home, which they had owned for just 32 days, was one of 50 buildings destroyed. Decades of memories were lost in a single afternoon.

Right now, all they have are the clothes they were wearing, their four dogs, two cars, and a mattress.

Emergency payments have been promised, but long delays and lots of paperwork are making it hard for them to move forward. Any support you can give, no matter how small, would mean so much as they try to start over.

The funds will be used to provide emergency accommodation and cover living expenses for people who need time off work to deal with the complicated process of rebuilding after a natural disaster. The money will also help pay for clean-up costs, such as removing debris, cleaning water tanks, and getting rid of burnt vehicles.