By Jodie Symonds
YARRA Ranges schools will become bushfire ready this year following a $10 million program announced at Billanook Primary School in Montrose on Thursday 5 January.
The program was announced by Monbulk MP James Merlino and Emergency Management Commissioner Craig Lapsley.
Fire shelter areas at 200 government schools in high-risk areas across Victoria will be upgraded under the program.
Twenty two Yarra Ranges Primary Schools will be upgraded, including: Ferny Creek, Kallista, Noojee, Olinda, Sassafras, Sherbrooke Community School, Toolangi, Warburton, Emerald, Billanook, Wesburn, Yarra Junction, Millwarra- Warburton East Campus, Marysville, Menzies Creek, Mount Dandenong, Tecoma, Selby, Belgrave South, Hoddles Creek, Silvan and Upwey.
Four Yarra Ranges Secondary Schools will also be upgraded, including: Upwey, Emerald, Monbulk and Healesville.
Upgrades will also include vegetation removal, gutter cleaning, the installation of gutter guards, door and window shutters, water tanks and sprinklers.
Fifty one high-priority schools are currently being upgraded and will be completed by day one of term one. The remaining schools will have works done throughout the year.
Mr Merlino said it is important to be vigilant following the devastating Black Saturday bushfires in 2009.
“We’re making sure Victorian students living in high bushfire risk areas are safer at school with these vital bushfire safety upgrades,” he said.
“Every Victorian government school has a place to shelter from bushfires as a last resort, and this program will make sure the shelters at 200 schools in the highest fire risk areas are even safer.”
“…you think about when kids return to school, kids will be back at school at the end of January, we’ve had a lot of wet weather over recent months, but that means a lot of growth and it means it’s going to be a long bushfire season…”
Mr Lapsley said with temperatures on Saturday, 7 January, expected to be in the high 30s it is important to be vigilant.
“Obviously we’re in it, we said January/February would be the period, we’ve had an interesting Christmas period where we’ve had extremely hot weather, we’ve followed it up with storms and flash flooding in the Metro area…however, it tells you we’re in an unstable environment,” Mr Lapsley said.
“Saturday is going to be a very warm day across the state.
“…The thing at the moment in the forecast we can’t see is high wind speed which means the fire danger rating will be down, but the fact we’ve got heat, that the issue of safety in the heat, water safety and fire safety have to be the three things we focus on.”
For more information, visit www.schoolbuildings.vic.gov.au
