Grants help schools prepare for bushfire season

THE Victorian government is helping schools across Victoria be well prepared for the coming bushfire season by providing grants to slash vegetation growth and reduce the risk of fire, including two on the Bellarine. Last week, Bellarine MP Alison Marchant announced Wallington Primary School and Point Lonsdale Primary School were among 332 government schools across 348 campuses sharing in $8.412 million to carry out essential maintenance work through the Bushfire Preparedness (Vegetation) Program (BPVP).

The program was introduced in 2018 to help schools undertake essential vegetation clearance around school buildings prior to the bushfire season and in accordance with municipal fire danger periods.

Schools receiving funds are listed on the Bushfire at Risk Register (BARR), with the work aimed at mitigating the risk of harm to the school’s community and buildings in the event of a bushfire.

The BPVP also provides a School Support Program, where an accredited Bushfire Planning and Design consultant visits a school twice a year to help them prepare for the upcoming bushfire season while also making sure they complete a Vegetation Management Plan every three years.

“These grants will assist in preparing schools across the Bellarine for the summer months by undertaking important work to reduce the risk of harm to school facilities in the event of a bushfire,” Ms Marchant said.

The Victorian government says it has spent $16.9 billion on public education projects over the past decade, building new schools and upgrading more than 2,000 schools while supporting more than 26,000 jobs in construction and associated industries.

“We know how devastating bushfires are and just how long-lasting their impacts can be, and that’s why we’re continuing to support schools to be as fire-ready as possible,” Minister for Education Ben Carroll said.