The massive task of finding accommodation for 7000 people who lost their homes in Victoria's bushfires on February 7 begins this week at a two-day meeting.
The accommodation crisis was ''the number one issue at the moment'' in the recovery from Australia's worst peacetime disaster that has cost at least 200 lives.
The Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority, the Department of Human Services and other agencies are holding the two-day planning exercise tomorrow and Thursday.
Human Services director of emergency management Craig Lapsley said some people would be displaced for a ''significant amount of time''.
''We've now got more than 1800 houses burnt or significantly impacted ... 1800 households out there need to be accommodated somewhere else,'' he said.
''Some are still living in relief centres, we're looking at how we best relocate those into other accommodation ... it could be emergency to temporary to something more permanent.
''It's very important to understand the connection for children to their educational facilities, where people earn money and social connections.
''Some people find it difficult to move away from a community they have been part of, but it may be a necessary step for rebuilding.''
Mr Lapsley said the agencies would be better placed after the meeting to understand how housing people would work in the medium to long term.
''It's probably the number one issue at the moment, it needs a lot of thinking, not one single solution,'' he said.
Emergency services commissioner Bruce Esplin said the ''whole of Victoria was hurting'' and now was the time to work together.
''The whole of Victoria can help in ensuring people have a strong way forward through a very difficult point in time,'' he said.
According to Red Cross statistics, 1834 homes have been destroyed, displacing some 7000 individuals.
Country Fire Authority director of community safety Lisa Sturzenegger said while firefighters were finally getting on top of the blazes still burning out of control, it should be remembered the bushfire season was not over.
''There's at least another month of summer to come and it's not too late for communities to make their plans because having a plan can save lives,'' she said.
''Fire agencies are scheduling fire-ready Victoria meetings across the state.''
There are more than 4500 firefighters still either fighting blazes or containing them, backed by more than 500 army personnel.
Meanwhile, insurance companies have received more than 5000 claims relating to the Victorian bushfires.
A statement from the Insurance Council of Australia said about 1300 of the claims were for total loss of property.
About 10 per cent of the claims were for motor vehicles and about 90 per cent were for building contents.
Council chief Kerrie Kelly said, ''The Insurance Council encourages all policyholders to contact their insurers as a matter of priority.''
Council spokesman Sean Sampson said the number of insurance claims were expected to rise as more people were able to get access to their properties. AAP
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