5 Mar 2009

Interstate fire crews to return home from Victoria

10:36 am on 5 March 2009

Interstate fire crews from will return home from Victoria over the next few days as the bushfire threat eases.

The ABC reports cool weather and rainfall has helped keep four major bushfires within containment lines.

Up to 30mm of rain fell over the state on Tuesday.

The Department of Sustainability and Environment says firefighters from outside Victoria are no longer needed to back up local crews.

Earlier, Emergency Services Commissioner Bruce Esplin said it was now safe for people to return to communities they left at the height of the alert.

He said people from 78 communities affected by the fires can now start to rebuild.

The death toll from the fires on Black Saturday, 7 February, is at least 210.