“It’s better to be prepared than to get ready”
- Will Smith (actor)
Bushfire Information
We love the unique environment of Warrandyte and all that the bush has to offer our educational experience. At the same time, we are acutely aware of the nature of our surroundings and this is a serious subject that the staff and Committee of Management continue to give a lot of thought to.
BUSHFIRE AT RISK REGISTER
Yarra Warra Preschool and Bush Kinder are listed on the Bushfire At Risk Register (BARR).
Schools, kindergartens and child care facilities at the highest risk of fire danger are placed on the Department of Education's Bushfire At-Risk Register. Inclusion on this register is a trigger for our kindergarten to pre-emptively close on days declared Code Red in our Bureau of Meteorology district. Yarra Warra Preschool and Bush Kinder is one of the many institutions in the area which has been placed on Department of Education's (the Department) Bushfire At-Risk Register.
YARRA WARRA'S BUSHFIRE POLICY
Yarra Warra Preschool and Bush Kinder’s own Bushfire Policy states that when a day is forecast as “EXTREME” or “CATASTROPHIC” for the Central District all kindergarten sessions for that day will be cancelled and the kinder will be closed. This policy is reviewed annually by the committee following the Department's directives and in consultation with local fire authorities.
Parents and carers are asked to be alert to days being forecast as “Severe” or “Extreme” Fire Danger Rating (FDR) days. This will necessitate families being abreast of local weather conditions, tuning into the nightly/morning news or radio news, or checking the CFA website. FDR’s are based on the weather forecast for each of the nine Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) weather forecast districts. The BOM provides a weather forecast (and related FDR’s) up to four days. Providing this information in advance enables people to prepare for any significant forecast of fire weather.
The kindergarten will endeavour to inform parents/guardians of the centre’s closure by text message. However, if a day is forecast as “Severe” or “Extreme” for the Central District, parents/guardians should proceed on the basis that the centre will be closed. A sign will be placed on the main preschool entrance door alerting parents of the preschool’s closure where possible.
The Department will endeavour to provide up to three days notice of a planned closure. Parents/guardians should expect that less than three days notice may be provided. The final decision to close will be confirmed no later than 12 noon the day before the planned closure. Once the Department has directed our centre to close, the decision will not change – regardless of changes in weather forecast.
MORE INFORMATION
For more information regarding Yarra Warra Preschool and Bush Kinder’s Bushfire Policy, please see our Policies page.
For information regarding closures of schools, kindergartens, child care facilities or bus services, see the Department of Education Emergency Closures page.
For general information regarding emergencies or Code Red days, see the Department's Emergencies page.
For up-to-date information on the fire season, visit the CFA website at or call the 24-hour Victorian Bushfires Information Line on 1800 240 667