SCORCHING temperatures and northerly winds today have the state on high bushfire alert and conditions are set to worsen.
Police will watch known firebugs as the temperature heads to 39C today, but the Country Fire Service expects to be even busier tomorrow with a 42C top temperature expected.
Much of the rest of the state is expecting temperatures in the low 40s today and rising two or three degrees tomorrow.
CFS prevention services manager Leigh Miller said tomorrow would be especially worrying.
"That's a fairly bad day, especially if it's going to be as warm as they say," he said yesterday.
"In this type of weather, because the grass is mostly fully cured across the state, it doesn't really take much to set it alight.
"We are ready. We monitor the fire danger every day and we escalate our level of preparedness."
Severe fire danger is forecast for the North West Pastoral, West Coast, Eastern Eyre Peninsula, Lower Eyre Peninsula, Mount Lofty Ranges, Yorke Peninsula, Kangaroo Island and Lower South East districts.
The CFS advises that fires burning under today's conditions are likely to be fast-moving and probably uncontrollable.
An SA Police spokesman said Operation Nomad patrols would be watching fire-prone areas.
"They also target individual premises where known firebugs do live and pay them a visit," he said. "We're always after public assistance to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity to Crime Stoppers."
SA Power Networks spokesman Paul Roberts said there might be "the odd localised blackout" if the power demand in an individual street exceeded capacity.
SA Health public health director Dr Kevin Buckett has urged people to stay indoors, drink plenty of fluids and to make use of fans or airconditioners where possible.
"Elderly people, babies and children, and people who are unwell are most at risk," he said.
"Remember to check up on your elderly or frail relatives and neighbours to make sure they are OK in the heat."
Energy experts suggest turning the airconditioner on as soon as the day starts to heat up and setting it for between 24C and 27C.
And every degree lower will use 5 to 10 per cent more energy.
Temperatures are expected to drop 10 degrees by Saturday but will climb back into the 40s by Monday.
www.cfs.sa.gov.au/site/fire_restrictions/fire_bans.jsp
