#SABUSHFIRES #ThankYouCFS 4.57pm: Two people are missing in the Adelaide Hills region as firefighters continue the battle to contain bushfires, South Australia police say. 3.38pm: More than 30 homes are believed ruined as a major bushfire continues to burn out of control in the Adelaide Hills. Twenty-two people, mostly fire fighters, have also been injured and one fire truck destroyed as a number communities remain under threat. The Country Fire Service downgraded its emergency warning to a watch-and-act message on Sunday, but said the blaze continued to burn freely in all directions. “The entire perimeter of the fire has pockets of free-burning fuel,” the CFS said in its latest advice. “Crews are actively patrolling and dealing with the fire edge.” Among the communities still considered at risk were those at One Tree Hill, Humbug Scrub, Mount Crawford, Kersbrook, Birdwood, Gumeracha, Kenton Valley, Cudlee Creek and Inglewood. More than 1000 properties in those areas were also without power because of the fire. 2.30pm: Justice Minister Michael Keenan says the federal government is helping South Australia battle bushfires in the Adelaide Hills. The RAAF Base Edinburgh was available for aircraft combating the blaze to refuel, he said. “We have provided the runways at RAAF Edinburgh and the water needed,” Mr Keenan said. 1.14pm: More than 1000 properties in the Adelaide Hills remain without power because of the impact of the major blaze still burning out of control. SA Power Networks says 859 properties at Cudlee Creek, Houghton, Lower Hermitage, Paracombe and Upper Hermitage have no electricity. A further 171 properties in the Gould Creek, Humbug Scrub and Sampson Flat areas are also without service. SA Power Networks says its crews are currently working on safe access to the fire grounds and detailed inspections of power assets will be required before repairs can be conducted and power restored. No estimate of the time when services will be restored has been provided. 1.05pm: The South Australia Country Fire Service is responding to a grassfire at Murray Bridge, east of Adelaide. The CFS has listed the fire as going in the area of Avoca Dell Drive. No advice or watch and act message has been issued at this stage. 11.03am: Hundreds of people, including athletes, tradespeople and the general public, have offered practical help as the bushfire emergency in the Adelaide Hills continues. IN PICTURES: Two states battle bushfires From 20 young people with exceptional climbing skills to offers of transport, shelter and food, the community response to Adelaide’s outskirts has been exceptional. A community notice board has been established to take offers of help, with people responding from across the Adelaide suburbs and regional centres. A Bushfires SA assistance page on Facebook also had attracted more than 8200 members by Sunday morning. Other people have been offering support directly to the Country Fire Service and to emergency relief centres set up on the perimeter of the fire zone. 9.35am: An out-of-control bushfire in South Australia’s Mount Lofty Ranges has destroyed 12 homes and there are fears for 20 others, Premier Jay Weatherill has confirmed.. The Country Fire Service says 22 fire fighters have also been injured in the blaze, though none seriously, and one fire truck destroyed in the worst conditions since Ash Wednesday in 1983. Temperatures in the fire zone were forecast to be cooler on Sunday, with a top of 31C tipped for Adelaide, but winds were expected to reach 40km/h in the hills in the morning and the evening. The Country Fire Service reduced the fire warning from the highest emergency level to a watch and act message. However, it said the fire was stilling burning on several fronts and threatened the safety of residents in a number of communities including Sampson Flat, One Tree Hill, Humbug Scrub, Millbrook Reservoir, Kersbrook, Gumeracha, Birdwood, Mount Crawford and Kenton Valley. “The fire behaviour may be erratic and burning in all directions,” the CFS said. “There is a risk to lives and property.” Ground and air crews continued to work on the blaze on Sunday with more than 400 firefighters, 80 fire trucks and 14 aircraft involved. The blaze has already destroyed more than 11,000 hectares of scrub, with the full loss of property, including livestock, fencing sheds and homes, yet to be determined. Among the confirmed losses is a dog and cat boarding business near Inglewood where a large number of dogs and cats died. The CFS also warned on Sunday of the danger now posed by trees that had already fallen or could fall over the next few days. “This hazard places a huge risk on the community living or working in this area and is delaying the return of residents to their homes,” it said. So far no-one has been allowed to return to a home in the fire zone and more than 20 roads remain closed. “While everything is being done to permit the return of people to their homes, public safety is a priority,” police said. “Members of the public are asked to be patient.” The threat posed by the blaze to Adelaide’s north-eastern suburb, which reached its height on Friday night, was reduced on Sunday with winds now pushing the blaze away from homes in those areas. 8.44am: AT least six homes have been destroyed and 11,500ha burnt in South Australia’s worst fires since 1983. As two states enter a third day of fighting bushfires the threat in Victoria has eased. Strong winds are expected to fan South Australia’s worst bushfire in 30 years, with the extent of damage already still to be confirmed. Thirteen volunteer firefighters have been injured while fighting the blaze. The out-of-control Sampson Flat fire in the Mount Lofty Ranges is thought to have destroyed dozens of homes and burnt out more than 11,000 hectares of scrub and farmland since Friday afternoon. However, the fire has now been downgraded to watch and act. SA Country Fire Service chief officer Greg Nettleton remained cautious, saying wind changes might cause the fire to break out of the northwest edge of the blaze, which has a huge perimeter of 158 kilometres. Although temperatures are forecast to be lower today, winds will keep fire crews and residents fighting desperately to save lives and property. At least 19 communities remain under threat and SA Premier Jay Weatherill has warned residents to be vigilant as the western front of the fire burns within 30km of Adelaide’s centre. “There should be no sense of relief because the temperatures are somewhat lower and there are spots of rain about,” Mr Weatherill said yesterday. “The situation remains extremely dangerous.” After nudging 40C yesterday, Adelaide is expected to hit a high of 31C on Sunday.
Posted on: Sun, 04 Jan 2015 06:19:38 +0000
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