LATEST BUSHFIRE WARNINGS AT cfs.sa.gov.au
9:45pm
The Pinery bushfire is now WATCH AND ACT
The CFS advises the Pinery Fire in the state’s Mid North remains a going fire with sporadic fire activity across the entire fire-ground.
The main fire activity is around the Kapunda township 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 at this time with few control lines being in place. 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 to being impacted by fire they are to ring 000 and request assistance.
Check and follow your Bushfire Survival Plan. If your plan is to leave or you are not prepared, leave now. – Only leave if the path is clear to a safe place.- Well prepared and actively defended homes can offer safety.- You should not enter this area as the roads may not be safe.
Stay tuned to FIVEAA 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.
8:18am
Premier Jay Weatherill has confirmed that two people have died in SA bushfires.
One body was found in a paddock near Pinery and a body was also found in a car near Hamley Bridge. There are unconfirmed reports a third person may have also died in a car near Freeling.
“Our priority will be to access these sites safely and, of course, to notify the next of kin,” Mr Weatherill said.
“We also know that there are many homes, sheds, crops and livestock losses due to the active fire front, I can’t give you exact figures at this point,” Mr Weatherill said.
He also said three people were being treated for burns in the Royal Adelaide Hospital.
7:33pm
SA Fires – Alan Hickey updates on what we know. Stay tuned to FIVEAA for updates.
– The Pinery fire-front measures 41km from north to south.
– 17 local aircraft have been deployed plus two water bombers from NSW.
– More than 250 people battling the ferocious blaze.
– Two confirmed CFS firefighters with burn injuries.
– The fire has been moving at about 12km/h and moved 50km/h in four hours.
– The fire is expected to burn all night, tomorrow and may take days to control.
– Wind that turned the blaze towards the Barossa should abate slightly around 9pm.
– The public has been urged to remain vigilant and have a bushfire plan in place.
6:03pm
CFS chief officer Greg Nettleton says the Mallala bushfire will likely take days to control.
“It is going to go for some time,” he said. “This is a particularly nasty fire, it’s had some pretty atrocious winds pushing it through the day.”
Image | ABC News | Angelique Donnellan
An emergency warning for the fire, which is burning north of Gawler near the Sturt Highway, includes Riverton, Marrabel, Eudunda and Dutton, as well as Pinery, Owen, Hamley Bridge, Freeling, Greenock, Kapunda and Nuriootpa.
“It’s going to be a long haul for many of our crews and also to our colleagues at SES who’ve got considerable resources out in the field, and backing us up, and also the Metropolitan Fire Service and the police – it’s a big operation,” Mr Nettleton said.
“We’re putting five rapid-damage reconnaissance teams into the field,” he said.
“They’ll be working out of Balaklava and they’ll start assessing what damage has occurred.
“That’s combined Metropolitan Fire Service/State Emergency Service teams and they’ll be working together over the next few hours so we can get an indication of what the property losses are.”
4:38pm
ALL ROADS NORTH OF GAWLER ARE CLOSED DUE TO MALLALA FIRE
Traffic on the Northern Expressway heading North is being stopped at REDBANKS RD and being turned around to return SOUTH.
All available Variable Messaging Signs (VMS) in the Area have been changed to reflect Road Closures North of Gawler.
The 900 bus route will be running to Virginia as per normal and then detouring as follows:
· From Penfield Road turn Right on Heaslip Road
· Left on Edinburgh Road
· Left on West Avenue
· Right on to Bellchambers Road
· Normal running from Winterslow Road
4:25pm
CFS advises that an extremely dangerous bushfire is burning out of control at mid north region near Kapunda.
This Bushfire Emergency Warning Message is in place for Riverton, Marrabel, Eudunda and Dutton as well as Pinery, Owen, Hamley Bridge, Freeling, Greenock, Kapunda, Nuriootpa.
The PINERY fire is travelling in a North Easterly direction towards Riverton, Marrabel and Eudunda. The weather conditions are very unpredictable.
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 FIVEAA 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.
4:24pm
The Two Wells Community Centre is open to anyone needing refuge from the Pinery bushfire currently burning out of control north of Adelaide.
VIDEO of the fire from ABC News:
3:53pm
FIVEAA News Director Matthew Panteils advises there are power outages in Wasleys, Sandy Creek, Freeling, She-Oak Log, Nain, Mackenzie, Penrice, Stone Well, Vine Vale – right through the Barossa area north of Gawler. “Thousands of premises,” are without power he said.
3:37pm
Brenton Eden from CFS tells FIVEAA that property has been damaged, fire fighters have been injured and potentially members of the public have also been injured (unconfirmed).
The CFS is taking steps to protect Nuriootpa, Angaston, Tanunda. Lyndoch and Kapunda.
“This is a fast moving fire under catastrophic conditions,” Mr Eden said, “meaning we will not be putting fire appliances in front of the fire to control it, we can’t even put aircraft into the air in front of the fire… it is too dangerous, it is moving too fast and there is too much smoke.”
He warned people seeing smoke that it would be closely followed by fire.
“We have lost buildings, we have lost structures, we have had significant burn injuries, we have got fire fighters being airlifted into the royal Adelaide hospital.”
“If you are on the east of this fire ground you are in dangerous country. This is a catastrophic fire it is not a tourist destination… you should not be there.”
He said a DC-10 and Hercules were on their way from interstate to help fight the fire.
3:08pm
CFS advises that an extremely dangerous bushfire is burning out of control at Mid north region, north of Gawler near Sturt Highway at Roseworthy.
This Bushfire Emergency Warning Message is in place for Concordia, Kingsford, Sandy Creek, Cockatoo Valley and Lyndoch.
The PINERY 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.
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 FIVEAA 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.
2:40pm
2:37pm
CFS advises that an extremely dangerous bushfire is burning out of control at mid north region, north of Gawler near Roseworthy to Wasleys Road.
This Bushfire Emergency Warning Message is in place for Wasleys, Roseworthy, Hewett and Gawler area.
The PINERY fire is travelling in a Southerly easterly direction towards Roseworthy. There is a risk to lives and property.
If you are in this area you are in danger. Act immediately. Follow your Bushfire Survival Plan.
Do not leave or enter this area in a vehicle or on foot, it is too late and the roads will not be safe.
Take shelter in a building and actively defend it. Shelter before the fire arrives as radiant heat can kill you well before the flames reach you.
If the building catches on 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.
2:32pm
The Goodstart Early Learning Penfield Childcare Centre has been evacuated due to a bushfire. All children are safe and have been taken to Elizabeth Police Station.
EARLIER (1pm)
The CFS advises that an extremely dangerous bushfire is burning out of control at Pinery in the Grace Plains area in the mid north near Tiller Road, Hallion Road , Nairn Road, Broster Road, Marshman Road and Collins Road.
This Bushfire Emergency Warning Message is in place for Mallala.
The PINERY fire is travelling in a South Easterly direction towards Mallala. There is a risk to lives and property.
If you are in this area you are in danger. Act immediately. Follow your Bushfire Survival Plan.
Do not leave or enter this area in a vehicle or on foot, it is too late and the roads will not be safe.
Take shelter in a building and actively defend it. Shelter before the fire arrives as radiant heat can kill you well before the flames reach you.
If the building catches on 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 FIVEAA 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.
SEE ALSO: FORMER COACH FIRES BACK AFTER MICHAEL CLARKE’S SLEDGE
SEE ALSO: TURNBULL’S TAKES A SWIPE AT ABBOTT DURING TERROR ADDRESS
