Closing schools amid fire danger last resort

TFS chief officer Mike Brown yesterday rejected the state opposition's call to shut schools on catastrophic-rating warning days. 

``There's always an option there that we might need to close a school, but in most cases we think we can plan around that,'' Mr Brown said. 

``One thing we're really mindful of is if the school just closes up and there's nowhere for the students to go, chances are the students could well be at home on rural properties by themselves. That's what we want to avoid.''

Liberal education spokesman Michael Ferguson called on the government to follow the approach taken by Victoria, New South Wales, South Australian and the ACT and close schools on the worst days, after fires devastated the Tasman Peninsula in the state's South and destroyed Dunalley Primary School.  

``It is unthinkable what may have occurred at Dunalley if the recent Tasmanian bushfires occurred during the school term,'' Mr Ferguson said. 

However, Mr Brown said the TFS would have worked with the Education Department to ensure that   the pupils were safe and  most likely  would have transferred them to another school in a different area.

 Nineteen schools are regarded as at increased risk of bushfire and have plans in place.  The TFS and department staff will review those plans today at a pre-arranged meeting.

Emergency Minister David O'Byrne also rejected the idea.  

``Once again, I strongly urge the Liberal Party to leave crucial  safety decisions to the professional experts  and not seek to politicise or interfere in them,'' he  said.