Schools, kindergartens and early childhood services assessed to be at the highest risk of fire are placed on the department's Bushfire At-Risk Register (BARR).
Inclusion on the Bushfire At-Risk Register (BARR) is a trigger for action, including:
Pre-emptive relocation, learning from home or closure action plans for schools and co-located services at the highest risk due to a forecast elevated Fire Danger Ratings in their local government area.
Pre-emptive closure for schools and early childhood services on all days forecasted by the Bureau of Meteorology to be Catastrophic fire danger rating (FDR) in their fire weather district. Schools, kindergartens and early childhood services with a lower fire risk (those assessed to be in fire risk Category 4) are listed on the department’s Category 4 list.
If you have queries relating to the register, please email emergency.management@education.vic.gov.au.
You can read our full bushfire and grassfire preparedness policy and the Victorian Registrations and Qualifications Authority's (VRQA) Guidelines on bushfire preparedness for more information for schools. https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/bushfire-and-grassfire-preparedness/policy https://www2.vrqa.vic.gov.au/guidelines-and-standards-for-schools
You can also find information regarding early childhood services and their obligations for managing bushfire and grassfire risks in early childhood services and emergency management in early childhood services. https://www.vic.gov.au/managing-bushfire-grassfire-risks-early-childhood-services
The register was updated on 3 February 2026. You can search by facility name, local government area or fire weather district by downloading a copy of the BARR.
