The Victorian Government will cut funding on bushfire mitigation by $30 million and instead fund a greater emergency firefighting response, budget papers reveal.

This year it will spend $403.5 million on bushfire mitigation.

Next financial year the Government hopes to have 80% of fires contained before they reach five hectares and become established – 10% below the expected outcome this financial year, when planned burning, rapid first-attack operations and early identification of fires have led to 90% being contained.

Victoria’s Safer Together strategy aims to reduce the impact of bushfires on communities, the economy and the environment.

About $8.1 million will be given to the Department of Environment to manage bushfire risk, and 729 kilometres of power lines will be retired in high-bushfire-risk areas.