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Managing bushfire and grassfire risks in early childhood services

Information for services on how to plan for and manage bushfire and grassfire risks.

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All early childhood providers and services must plan for bushfires and grassfires as part of their emergency management requirements. This applies regardless of their location.

This page explains:

  • your obligations under either the Education and Care Services National Law (National Law) or Children’s Services Act (CS Act)
  • how bushfire and grassfire risk is assessed and managed
  • what actions services must take before and during a bushfire or grassfire event.

Victoria is one of the most fire-prone areas in the world. Understanding your risk is the first step in preparing.

We suggest you refer to the following expert guidance:

Services at high bushfire risk

Some early childhood services are at higher risk of bushfires or grassfires due to their location.

Make sure you have provided your correct location and address in the NQA ITS system, as well as your updated emergency contacts.

The Department of Education assesses bushfire risk for all schools and centre-based services each year. They use a method developed with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).

Services are categorised as follows, depending on their risk:

Family day care services are not placed on the BARR or Category 4 list.

Requirements for BARR and Category 4 services

If your service is on the BARR or Category 4 list, you must meet additional requirements. This is a condition placed on your service approval.

If these requirements are not met, enforcement action may be taken.

Closure requirements

Approved providers must make sure their service:

  • closes in advance on days when a Catastrophic Fire Danger Rating (FDR) is forecast for their Fire Weather District
  • includes emergency and evacuation procedures in their emergency management plan (EMP) for managing bushfire related risks.

Emergency management requirements

Your emergency management plan (EMP) must:

  • relate to the service’s location and operating environment
  • include the service’s emergency contacts details
  • outline procedures for:
    • monitoring and managing bushfire and grassfire risks and events
    • identifying and managing planned or unplanned closures
    • notifying families
    • reviewing and updating the plan
  • be reviewed at least once per year
  • be kept up to date and available to us on request.

Services on the BARR no longer need to submit their EMP to the Department of Education.

Early childhood services located on school sites

Both schools and early childhood services on the BARR or Category 4 list must close when a Catastrophic Fire Danger Rating (FDR) is forecast for their Fire Weather District.

In addition, schools in categories 0–2 of the BARR will either pre-emptively relocate to a school site at a lower risk, or close in line with their risk category when the FDR in their Local Government Area (LGA) is forecast as:

  • Extreme (for Categories 1 and 2)
  • High (for Category 0) as outlined in their EMP.

No one is allowed on the school site when the above pre-emptive actions are taken.

If your early childhood service is on a school site listed on the BARR or Category 4, we suggest you discuss your EMP with the school. This includes potential impacts to your service on days of elevated fire danger.

The school’s risk category will be outlined in their EMP.

For more information, read: Bushfire and grassfire preparedness: policy.

Family day care services

Family day care (FDC) services are not individually assessed for bushfire or grassfire risks. This means they are not on the BARR or Category 4 list.

Approved providers of FDC services must:

  • assess the fire danger risk to their educators and children attending
  • manage fire risk.

The CFA has information to help you assess risk.

Provider responsibilities for FDC residences and venues

Providers must:

  • identify all educators operating in bushfire or grassfire risk areas (residences and venues)
  • maintain a record of all educators at risk from bushfire or grassfire
  • make sure educators have an emergency management plan (EMP) for their residence or venue
  • make sure the service and educator have access to:
    • a phone (landline or mobile), or
    • another way to contact emergency services and parents
  • monitor the fire danger ratings each day during the summer season
  • make sure FDC residences or venues close on days forecast as Catastrophic Fire Danger Rating in their Fire Weather District
  • tell families when a service cannot operate or will close early due to fire risk.

Providers and educators must check the fire danger ratings each day during the summer season. You can use:

These obligations will be a condition on your service approval. If they are not met, enforcement action may be taken.

How to prepare for bushfire and grassfire risks

Fire conditions can change quickly.

Understanding fire danger ratings and warnings helps you protect your service.

Resources

Contact us

In an emergency, call 000.

Contact us:

You can also contact your closest VECRA regional office.

Phone us using an interpreter

You can contact our main switchboard using an interpreter.

  1. Call the National Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) on 131 450
  2. Ask them to call 1300 307 415 (Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm)
  3. They will stay on the phone call and interpret.

Phone us using the National Relay Service

The National Relay Service is available as a phone solution for people who are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment. It's available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week Australia-wide. All calls are free and confidential.

Early childhood

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