A major bushfire emergency is underway in the state's mid north, as an out of control blaze rages towards towns.
Homes have been lost and there are reports firefighters have been seriously burnt while battling the blaze near Mallala.
Fire danger warnings have been issued to Wasleys, Roseworthy, Hewett and Gawler residents as South Australia's Country Fire Service battles blazes around the state.
A bushfire raging north of Adelaide has destroyed properties and continues to burn on a 45-kilometre front, threatening a number of towns.
At least one person has been airlifted to hospital and authorities fear there have been other injuries as the blaze bears down on Eudunda, Owen, Freeling, Greenock, Kapunda and Nuriootpa, fanned by strong winds.
A number of homes and buildings have been destroyed, including a piggery, with damage assessment teams starting to move through the area to confirm losses.
Witnesses calling in to local radio said they had seen homes and other buildings destroyed as the blaze roared past a number of towns including Mallala, Roseworthy and Wasleys.
Country Fire Service chief officer Greg Nettleton said the fire was moving so fast that fire crews could not establish positions at the front of the blaze.
"This is a particularly nasty fire. It will run right through the night and into tomorrow," Mr Nettleton said.
"It's going to be a long haul for many of our crews."
By late on Wednesday the fire had burnt through several hundred hectares of mostly cropping land and pastures.
It was being battled by about 200 firefighters along with water-bombing aircraft.
Two large capacity planes had also been called in from NSW.
Wind gusts of about 80km/h buffeted the fire zone ahead of a southwesterly change which swept through the area, pushing the blaze to the northeast.
Many roads were closed with power cut to about 20,000 properties.
Premier Jay Weatherill said the state government's emergency management committee would meet on Wednesday night to consider the response to the blaze.
Weather conditions were expected to moderate on Thursday with lower temperatures and winds dropping during the day.
Bureau of Meteorology acting regional director John Nairn said weather conditions on Wednesday would have created very unusual and uncontrollable flare-ups.
"It was very ugly conditions for the firefighters," he said.
Also on Wednesday the CFS continued to battle a blaze in the southeast, near Lameroo, which posed a threat to people and property.
An emergency warning was issued to local residents but was later downgraded to a watch and act message.
Crews also contained a blaze near Clare which destroyed about 200 hectares of scrub.
State government authorities said two relief centres had been opened as a safe place to go for anyone affected by the northern fire.
The centres, at the Balaklava racecourse and the Gawler recreation and sports centre, are expected to operate throughout the night. Southern Belle
At least 11 people have been confirmed injured in the blazes which broke out near Pinery north of Adelaide this afternoon. More out of control bush fires ignited in the state's mid north, including near the Clare Valley wine region in the hours that followed.
Interstate fire fighters are en route to assist.
More than 340 firefighters, 63 fire fighting appliances and 17 aircraft are battling the flames. Scores of homes have been lost after fires tore through entire towns. There are reports of fire fighters suffering burns as well as injuries to people who stayed to defend their homes.
AN EXTREMELY dangerous, uncontrolled bushfire is raging through South Australia.
Residents and firefighters have been injured and properties damaged in the blaze near Pinery as it heads towards Mallala and Roseworthy, north of Adelaide, where a strike team has been sent to battle the inferno.
Just after 3.30pm, the SA Country Fire Service confirmed two firefighters had been flown to hospital with serious burns.
They were among 95 firefighters and 40 fire units, including water bombing aircraft, which were deployed to the region.
“This is a big fire, it’s a concerning fire,” CFS spokesman Brenton Eden told ABC radio.
Just after 4pm Mallala Primary School was evacuated, with the township advised to do the same.
A wind shift is forecast for later on Wednesday, which could potentially push the blaze away from Mallala.
But the CFS said that could result in a major fire front east of the town.
Other fires are also burning at Penfield, south of the Mallala blaze, near Clare, in SA’s mid-north and near Bordertown, in the southeast.
The Clare fire destroyed about 200 hectares of scrub but was contained early Wednesday afternoon.
The fire near Bordertown was also contained, while the blaze at Penfield was not an immediate threat to property in the area.
The fires came as hot conditions prevailed across much of SA, with Adelaide soaring to 31.7C and temperatures in some regional centres pushing into the high 30s.
The weather bureau says a cool change is expected to move across the state as the day progressed with temperatures falling to the low 20s for Thursday.
Meanwhile, CFS crews have contained a fire at Hill River in the Clare Valley.
A damaging-wind warning has been issued for a large section of the state, including the area where the fire is burning.
An emergency warning for the out-of-control bushfire, which is burning under catastrophic conditions.
This emergency warning is in place for: Concordia, Kingsford, Sandy Creek, Cockatoo Valley and Lyndoch.
The fire is travelling in a south-easterly with an expected wind change to easterly direction towards Concordia, Kingsford, Sandy Creek, Cockatoo Valley and Lyndoch.
If you are in this area you are in danger. Act immediately. Check and follow your Bushfire Survival Plan. Conditions at this fire may get worse very quickly.
EMERGENCY WARNING FOR A BUSHFIRE BURNING UNDER CATASTROPHIC WEATHER CONDITIONS
CFS advises that an extremely dangerous bushfire is burning out of control in the mid north region near Kapunda area.
This Bushfire Emergency Warning Message is in place for the following area(s) Marrabel, Eudunda and Dutton.
The PINERY fire is travelling in a North Easterly direction towards Marrabel, Eudunda and Dutton. The entire fire ground is still active and the public should remain vigilant overnight..
If you are in this area you are in danger. Act immediately. Check and follow your Bushfire Survival Plan. Conditions at this fire may get worse very quickly.
Leave now if the path is clear to a safe place.
Homes are not designed or constructed to withstand a fire in these conditions.
Shelter before the fire arrives as radiant heat can kill you well before the flames reach you
If the building catches fire and the conditions inside become unbearable, you need to get out and go to an area that has already been burnt.
After the fire front has passed, check your immediate area and extinguish anything burning.
Stay tuned to this radio station on a battery-powered radio for updates.
For information about bushfires, check the CFS website www.cfs.sa.gov.au or call the Bushfire Information Hotline on 1300 362 361.
Last Edit: Nov 25, 2015 18:00:11 GMT 9.5 by Smokeydk
Three lives, (RIP) 16 homes, 85,000 hectares of country. A very large price to pay. I feel for the people suffering.
You don't stop riding because you get old, you get old because you stop riding! If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went. When the last tree has been cut down, when the last stream is poisoned, only then will mankind realise that we can not eat money! Some don't understand why I let my dogs sleep on my bed. That's OK, my dogs understand! I'm Larry the Spook and I'm ALMOST NORMAL!
CFS advises the Pinery Fire in the State's Mid North remains a going fire with sporadic fire activity across the entire fire-ground. Fire activity remains around many townships including Owen, Hamley Bridge, Tarlee, Freeling, Wasleys, Kapunda, Greenock and surrounding areas.
The following road closures are currently in place:
Horrocks Highway closed between Willaston and Days Hill Road; Thiele Highway closed between Willaston and Kapunda; Hamley Bridge Road is closed; Templers Road is closed; Owen Road is closed.
The Sturt Highway remains open.
The map shows the road status for roads within the area affected by the Pinery Fires.
The fire has affected an area that is bounded approximately by Roseworthy, Kapunda, Mallala, Owen and Riverton. Within this area a number of roads have been subsequently closed. Some of the major roads affected include the Mallala to Balaklava Road, the Wasleys to Hamley Bridge Road, the Horrocks Highway, and the Thiele Highway.
Efforts will be made to open these roads to the public as soon as it is safe to do so. The map will be updated periodically with closed roads shown in red, open roads in green and roads that are being worked on shown in yellow.
CFS advises a significant volume of smoke can be expected around the fire-ground and may have an impact on visibility in surrounding areas and there remains the potential for structures to be impacted due to ongoing ember attack across the whole of the area impacted by fire.
Members of the public are asked to remain vigilant for the potential for further damage to property and the fire remains uncontrolled.
Trees affected by fire are a considerable risk and people are to remain clear at all times. If members of the public are at immediate risk of being impacted by fire they are to ring 000 and request assistance. -
BUSHFIRE WATCH AND ACT : PINERY Message ID: 0000165 Time Message Issued: 13:11 26/11/2015
The Pinery Fire in the State's Mid North remains a going fire with sporadic fire activity across the entire fire-ground. Fire activity remains to the north and to the east of Hamley Bridge and surrounding areas. Smoke and localised dust can be expected around the fire-ground and may have an impact on visibility in surrounding areas and there remains the potential for structures to be impacted due to ongoing ember attack across the whole of the area impacted by fire.
Members of the public are asked to remain vigilant for the potential for further damage to property and the fire remains uncontrolled. Trees affected by fire are a considerable risk and people are to remain clear at all times.
Hi all, I have just spent the day out on this fireground in our CFS truck. I tell you something, in my 35 years of firefighting I have never see a day like yesterday happen, unbelievable. Dave, it went so bloody fast mate, unreal! And it was mainly crop and stubble! My town of Roseworthy dodged a bullet by metres, other towns did not. The communities here are very supportive and I am grateful to their support to the firefighters, the farmers, the townsfolk, the business that have been involved or suffered in some way. Spent the day in Wasleys, Mallala and Pinery doing what we can, supporting those who have had losses and mopping up. Please do not give me any thanks for what we do, when you see the look on peoples faces when we turn up, thats enough, we are no heroes, just people who care! Pete.
Hi all, I have just spent the day out on this fireground in our CFS truck. I tell you something, in my 35 years of firefighting I have never see a day like yesterday happen, unbelievable. Dave, it went so bloody fast mate, unreal! And it was mainly crop and stubble! My town of Roseworthy dodged a bullet by metres, other towns did not. The communities here are very supportive and I am grateful to their support to the firefighters, the farmers, the townsfolk, the business that have been involved or suffered in some way. Spent the day in Wasleys, Mallala and Pinery doing what we can, supporting those who have had losses and mopping up. Please do not give me any thanks for what we do, when you see the look on peoples faces when we turn up, thats enough, we are no heroes, just people who care! Pete.
We all own a debt to the volunteers of the CFS, who give up their own time and money, either wages or income from their own business, to help other in need.
Travelling still Always will
WARNING: Using Towballs for recoveries can and do kill people and damage property
Damn right. Bloody legends, every one! More updates on ABC News this morning.........saying now 77, yes 77 homes lost! Mate lost everything except his home and pets but at least he and his family are safe. All his business sheds, machinery and trucks etc gone.
You don't stop riding because you get old, you get old because you stop riding! If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went. When the last tree has been cut down, when the last stream is poisoned, only then will mankind realise that we can not eat money! Some don't understand why I let my dogs sleep on my bed. That's OK, my dogs understand! I'm Larry the Spook and I'm ALMOST NORMAL!
