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Adelaide sees its first major fire in 2021

Smoke from the Adelaide Hills fire seen from metropolitan Adelaide on Sunday. Picture: Bernard Humphreys

A large fire was burning out of control in the Adelaide Hills south east of Adelaide this morning. The blaze started about 4pm Sunday afternoon at Cherry Gardens, near the Scott Creek Conservation Park. There were reports of multiple ignition points. Source: Timberbiz

It was burning in farming country, scrub, native timber and plantation forests, and was threatening Longwood, Mylor and Biggs Flat this morning.

More than 400 firefighters were battling the blaze on Monday morning.

Aerial firefighting units returned this morning, along with heavy plant to create breaks and halt the fire progression.

Forestry SA said plantation timber to the north of the Mount Bold Reservoir had been damaged, but the extent was not known.

Other native timber surrounding the reservoir had in some places been allowed to burn to the waterline.

Forestry SA said it had crews and its Fire King units on the fire ground assisting the CFS, crews from the Department of Environment and Water, Metropolitan Fire Service and property owners with firefighting units.

Forestry SA’s Fire King units have been deployed to the fire ground in the Adelaide Hills.

They are being supported by personnel from SA Police, SA Ambulance Service, the State Emergency Service and heavy plant. A specialist high altitude scanning aircraft from Victoria undertook an imaging flight overnight and showed over 2500ha have been burnt.

People were being urged to seek shelter as the fire posed a threat to life or prepare to defend their homes before the wind changes direction.

CFS says Fire conditions are proving difficult due to the erratic local weather pushing the fire in multiple directions.

Rain is forecast to fall on the fireground today, but it is unlikely to be enough to put the fire out. Wind gusts associated with approaching rain and thunderstorms may increase fire behaviour, the community is asked to remain alert to the changing conditions. This fire is expected to be active for at least several days.

The CFS deputy chief officer Andrew Stark said on ABC Radio this morning that “a number of homes” had been lost in the fire.

He said several buildings had been damaged by the fire around the Mount Bold Reservoir and the Scottsdale area.

“We don’t know how many of those buildings were just farm sheds and how many were homes, but our rapid assessment teams will be going in, so we’ll have that information later on today,” he said.

For updates visit the CFS website (www.cfs.sa.gov.au) or phone the Bushfire Information Hotline on 1800 362 361.