Bushfire & Heatwave

Last updated: January 2021

We update this page each year with free bushfire, smoke and heatwaves resources for safety and wellbeing of our learning communities.

Did you know?

Bushfire is rated as Tasmania’s No. 1 natural hazard (PDF, 1.4MB), with significant incidents in recent years including 2013, 2016, 2019.
At DoE, we work with our emergency partners and the Non-Government school sector so our learning communities in our schools, libraries and Child and Family Centres (CFCs) are safe, even when bushfires or heatwaves happen.

DoE Actions for Bushfires & Heatwave

Before

DoE updates its procedures and guides in line with national and State advice, engages with the regional emergency committees and make sure it has clear lines of communication with the Non-Government schools for emergencies.

During

  • We monitor weather forecasts and send internal updates when bushfires start
  • We make changes at our sites for safety, and we can close sites in advance if needed
  • We coordinate emergency site closures as needed, and communicate with our learning communities so they know what is happening.

After

  • We resume our planned activities as soon as possible
  • If we need to arrange alternate sites for learning, we do that as quickly as possible
  • We support our staff and learners if they are emergency affected.

What you should do?

  • Make sure your household has an emergency plan that includes bushfire and heatwave – so you all know what you to do at different times of the day when you are together and apart (TFS 5 Minutes Bushfire Plan or SES Home Emergency Plan)
  • Check your school, library and CFCs bushfire action plan – know what the plan is at your site
  • Update your phone contacts and website/app ‘Favourites’ with emergency details.

So you know – DoE Decision Thresholds

  • Bushfire: Fire Danger Rating forecasts of ‘Extreme’
  • Heatwave: Forecasts reach ‘Severe’ in the extreme heat range, and Dept. Of Health provides supporting advice to our Department
  • Active fires: DoE actively monitors bushfires and follows advice from the Tasmania Fire Service.

These decision thresholds are revised at least annually using the national bushfire season outlook.

How to know what’s happening?

If changes are made so planned activities can continue safely, they will be explained through the usual communications channels e.g. emails, Facebook and on webpages.
If a DoE site is going to be closed due to bushfire or heatwave risk, advice is typically provided the day before and published on the DoE Alerts page.
Updates will be provided regularly until the site re-opens.

Where can you get more information?

Use the links in the ‘Current Situation’ section.

Bushfire and Heatwave Arrangements Infosheet IconDoE Community InfoSheet – Our Bushfire & Heatwave Arrangements – printable brochure

Download the Print version of InfoSheet (PDF, 417KB)

BEFORE – Getting Ready for Bushfires or Heatwaves

Bushfire Resources

All Emergencies

DURING – Bushfires & Heatwaves

Select the ‘What DoE Does for Bushfires & Heatwaves’ section for a summary of our Department’s response arrangements.

AFTER BUSHFIRES – Emergency Affected Families: Looking after your children & yourselves

BEFORE – Getting Ready for Bushfires or Heatwaves

For Teachers – Learning

For Principals and Senior Staff – Bushfire Planning

For all school staff – Free apps for your mobile phones

Download these free apps to your mobile device/s from your app store (Apple – ‘App Store’; Android – ‘Google Play’):

iOS download button
Android download button

DURING – Bushfires & Heatwaves

  • Monitor weather forecasts, active fires and air quality
  • Use the DoE Emergency Procedures (DoE Staff Only) (PDF, 15.7MB) and the school’s Bushfire Response Plan, for decision-making with Director Operations in your region
  • Make changes for safety if needed. This may include working with Director Operations in your region, to close your school in advance
  • Keep your school community informed, so they coordinate actions as easily as possible

AFTER BUSHFIRES – Looking after yourselves & your school community

For CFC Families

For Centre Leaders

BEFORE – Getting Ready for Bushfires or Heatwaves

Learning Resources

Bushfire Planning

Free apps for your mobile phones

Download these free apps to your mobile device/s from your app store (Apple – ‘App Store’; Android – ‘Google Play’):

iOS download button
Android download button

DURING – Bushfires & Heatwaves

  • Monitor weather forecasts, active fires and air quality
  • Use the DoE Emergency Procedures (DoE Staff Only) (PDF, 15.7MB) and your Centre’s Bushfire Response Plan (if there is one), for decision-making with Director Operations in your region
  • Make changes for safety if needed. This may include working with Director Operations in your region, to close your Centre in advance
  • Keep your Centre community informed, so they can coordinate actions as easily as possible

AFTER BUSHFIRES – Looking after yourselves & your school community

For Library Clients

BEFORE – Getting Ready for Bushfires or Heatwaves

DURING – Bushfires & Heatwaves

Select the ‘What DoE Does for Bushfires & Heatwaves’ section for a summary of our Department’s response arrangements.

AFTER BUSHFIRES – Emergency Affected Families: Trauma and looking after yourself

For Library Managers & Other Senior Staff

BEFORE – Getting Ready for Bushfires or Heatwaves

Bushfire Planning

Free apps for your mobile phones

Download these free apps to your mobile device/s from your app store (Apple – ‘App Store’; Android – ‘Google Play’):

iOS download button
Android download button

DURING – Bushfires & Heatwaves

  • Monitor weather forecasts, active fires and air quality
  • Use the DoE Emergency Procedures (DoE Staff Only) (PDF, 15.7MB) and your library’s Bushfire Response Plan (if there is one), for decision-making with Director Library Network
  • Make changes for safety if needed. For Library Managers, this may include working with Director Library Network to close your library in advance
  • Keep your community informed (this may include clients and/or work teams), so they can make decisions in their own households, as easily as possible

AFTER BUSHFIRES – Looking after yourselves & your school community