Parents in NSW warned of potentially more school closures due to bushfire risk

Parents in New South Wales are being warned schools will be forced to close on days of elevated bushfire risk. 

Last Wednesday, 26 public schools across the NSW Central West and Riverina were made "non-operational" by the state's Education Department due to the weather conditions.

TAFE NSW also closed several of its campuses due to the weather, including in Dubbo, Parkes, West Wyalong and Temora.

The day saw the first catastrophic fire danger rating of the summer bushfire season.

For father-of-three Evan Lord who lives on a dryland cropping farm at Mirrool and was in the midst of harvesting, it was a logistical challenge.

Late Tuesday afternoon, the family was informed the school two of his children attend would close, but 20 kilometres away, the school his wife teaches at was open.

"Making sense of that was an interesting conundrum," he said.

"Two of them spent the morning in the header with me.

"We're lucky, fortunate that I'm able to do that. I feel for other people that may not have that luxury, given how short notice we were given about schools closing."

While harvesting could not continue into the afternoon due to deteriorating conditions, for 11-year-old Ella the outing was a highlight.

"It's actually really fun and I was helping Dad steer and pushing the buttons for the auger for the grain to come out," she said.

The last time the state recorded a catastrophic declaration in September 2023, schools were also closed.

Increased fire risk over summer

In a statement, the NSW Education Department said the decision to move a school site to being "non-operational" was not taken lightly. 

"Decision-making around bushfire risk is informed by ensuring the safety of students and staff and is made in consultation with emergency services.

"The Department of Education works closely with the Rural Fire Service [RFS] to make sure decisions are based on the latest information available and communicated with school communities the day before they need to take action."

The National Council for Fire and Emergency Services has identified an increased risk of fires across NSW over summer, while the Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting hotter than average temperatures across much of the country over summer.

One school in the Riverina used last week's catastrophic declaration to warn parents that if further high-risk days were forecast, it would close to ensure the safety and staff, students and the wider community.

"I am writing to you to inform you of our emergency management arrangements for the upcoming bushfire danger period. 

"Our school is in a bushfire prone area and is identified as Category 2 on the NSW Department of Education's bushfire risk register.

"This means our school will be non-operational when the NSW Rural Fire Service declares catastrophic fire danger ratings for the Riverina, or when the NSW Department of Education, in consultation with emergency services, direct it due to local bushfire activity or higher risk conditions. 

"Fire danger ratings do not mean there will be a bushfire; instead, they indicate that weather conditions pose a high risk if a fire were to start in the area. This measure is proactive to ensure staff, students and the community remain safe.

"We will inform the school community after 4pm if there is a change to the school's operational status for the following day."

While conditions have eased in parts of the state, the RFS is warning the bushfire danger period is far from over.

"We still want people to make sure they've got a bushfire survival plan in place, monitor conditions and just keep an eye out," Superintendent Stephen Quinlan said. 

"The wind is the thing that's going to push fires along.  We've got the fuel loads, it's all cured, it's dry.

"Without the wind it just sort of meanders around, but the wind, it can move a fire at the same speed as the wind speed."