Fire risk shuts western Victorian schools, Wednesday 28, February
Many schools in Victoria’s west and central regions could shut tomorrow, Wednesday 28 February, because of catastrophic or extreme fire danger. All staff, students and families associated with schools in the districts rated as in catastrophic or extreme fire danger should look out for information from their school about closures.
Catastrophic Fire Danger Rating
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has forecast a Catastrophic Fire Danger Rating for the Wimmera district tomorrow, so schools in that region on the Bushfire At-Risk Register (BARR) with a Category 1, 2, 3 and 4 rating will be required to close.
The following non-government schools are closed tomorrow due to the catastrophic fire rating:
St Malachy’s Edenhope
St Mary’s Warracknabeal
Our Lady Help of Christians Murtoa
St Patrick’s Stawell
St Patrick’s St Arnaud
St Patrick’s Nhill
St Mary’s Donald
All school buses that travel in the Wimmera district will also not operate on Wednesday 28 February.
The Guardian is reporting that “about 100 schools and early childhood facilities will close on Wednesday as a precaution…”.
Schools on the BARR in a district that has an Extreme Fire Danger Rating are required to enact their approved pre-emptive action plan.
Extreme fire danger is predicted for five of Victoria’s nine weather districts: Mallee, Northern Country, North Central, South West and Central.
Regional staff will be contacting schools this afternoon to provide support and confirm that approved pre-emptive arrangements have been put into place.
You can find more information on emergencies and preparedness actions here:
VicEmergency app – that can be downloaded on your android and iOS mobile devices
VicEmergency Hotline (1800 226 226)
Website https://emergency.vic.gov.au
Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/vicemergency)
Twitter (https://twitter.com/vicemergency)
ABC local radio, Sky News and other emergency broadcasters
Victorian fire districts.
The policy
All schools and early childhood services on the BARR, and schools and early childhood services considered at risk of bushfire or grassfire (Category 4), must close on all days forecasted by the Bureau of Meteorology to be Catastrophic FDR in their fire weather district.
On High or Extreme FDR days, schools listed on the BARR, must enact their pre-emptive action plan. That means “pre-emptive relocation, learning from home, or a closure plan”.
Pre-emptive action plans
Enacting the pre-emptive action plans may result in parents having to make alternative arrangements for their child, but the safety of students and staff remains the top priority. Given the forecasted weather conditions, parents are urged not to leave children at home unattended or in the care of older children.
Authorities will take all possible steps to ensure school communities are aware of the school’s arrangements, including displaying posters at school entrances. If, however, staff or parents know of families who, for any reason, may not be aware of these arrangements, please contact them to help ensure they are informed.
The Department of Education and independent employers are actively monitoring the weather and fire danger conditions and will contact schools as soon as possible if conditions change.
Weather and fire conditions
Wednesday presents a dangerous fire risk because it will be hot, dry and windy, says the Bureau of Meteorology.
There will be high temperatures, extremely dry air and high winds. Any fires which start in the areas designated “catastrophic” will be :uncontrollable and uncontainable”.
The cool change following this heat will not arrive in Melbourne until 8 or 9pm.
The Wimmera region’s fire danger rating was upgraded from extreme to catastrophic on Tuesday, authorities predicting its worst fire weather in more than four years, as a bushfire continues to burn out of control about 40 kilometres north-west of Ballarat.
The Mallee region is slated to reach mid-40 degrees with winds of up to 45km/h on Wednesday, while other parts of the state are also expected to creep into the 40s. Dry lightning is predicted in the western and central parts of Victoria tomorrow afternoon.
Victorian Emergency Management Commissioner Rick Nugent told Nine media a weather change following the heat would likely bring strong winds.
Nugent said the catastrophic conditions could result in the loss of homes, road closures and the isolation of communities.
“Essentially, half of our state is in our high fire danger rating tomorrow,” he said.
“If you are in a bushfire risk area, please leave and leave early.”
Authorities on Tuesday urged people living in a potential fire impact zone between Ballarat and Ararat, in Victoria’s west, to leave their homes overnight or by Wednesday morning.
Victoria’s Emergency Management commissioner, Rick Nugent, said about 30,000 people in the area, including in the towns of Amphitheatre, Beaufort, Clunes, Elmhurst, Lexton, Glenbrae and Learmonth, would be notified via text message on Tuesday to leave.
He said hot and windy conditions forecast for Wednesday would probably cause an exisiting bushfire at Bayindeen, north-west of Ballarat, to spread, potentially affecting the towns.