A change in choppy weather forecast for Boxing Day will keep firefighters on high alert across South Australia as Adelaide prepares for its hottest Christmas in eight years.
Fire authorities have warned of an increased risk of bushfires over Christmas and Boxing Day after four volunteers were injured while battling a blaze in Adelaide's southern suburbs on Monday night.
Total fire bans have been ordered for the West Coast and Lofty Mountains on Christmas Day, with extreme danger levels.
On Boxing Day, complete bans will also be introduced for the Mid North, Riverland, Murrayland and upper South East.
Jonathan Fischer says Boxing Day will be windy before a cooler change. (ABC News)
Jonathan Fischer, a meteorologist with the Bureau of Meteorology, said most central parts of the state would see high temperatures in the low 30s, even touching 40 degrees Celsius in parts of the south.
“For Adelaide we are forecasting 37C, which will make it the hottest Christmas since 2016,” he said.
Rural Fire Service (CFS) Chief Brett Loughlin said the fire risk on the West Coast would peak between morning and early afternoon on Christmas Day.
“For the Lofty Mountains it will be hot all day and winds will come and go throughout the day, with the risk persisting for a prolonged period,” he added.
“We are in the driest period in South Australia's history, which means all we need is heat and wind to create conditions suitable for total fire bans and at high risk fire weather. »
“Unfortunately, although it is not what we would have liked, it will happen tomorrow in some parts of the state for Christmas Day,” he concluded.
Adelaide is predicted to experience the hottest Christmas since 2016. (ABC News: That Chorley)
The risk persists on Boxing Day
Although temperatures fell on Boxing Day, authorities warned the fire risk remained for parts of the state due to “significant winds”.
Mr Fischer said Thursday would be a windy day followed by a cool change that would extend across South Australia earlier than expected.
The cool change is forecast to reach central areas, including Adelaide, on Thursday morning, with temperatures dropping back into the 20s.
“However, in the eastern districts it will still be quite hot and windy from Thursday morning, raising the fire risk to an extreme level for several eastern border districts and we will continue to assess the timing of this change over the course of over the next 24 hours,” added Mr. Fischer.
“While the overall fire risk decreases as the day goes on, it will still be windy and we do not expect much rain activity with this change. »
Mr Loughlin warned people in eastern parts of the state to “take the risk very seriously on Boxing Day” and avoid any activity that could lead to “accidental fire ignition”.
“We know that the heat and these significant winds mean that any fire that breaks out will spread quickly,” he said.
“It is reasonable to expect wind gusts of 50 to 80 kilometers per hour and that is considerable. »
“At that time, even our firefighting planes may have difficulty getting off the ground and may have to remain on the ground for parts of the day. »
Peter Malinauskas says firefighters will be on alert during this festive period. (ABC News)
Premier Peter Malinauskas has asked South Australians living in fire risk areas to remain vigilant in the coming days.
“Whether it's Christmas or Boxing Day, while many people in our state will be relaxing, others will be on alert, desperately hoping that their pagers won't go off in response to a fire caused by unnecessary way,” he added.
Firefighters injured by falling branches
The heightened alert follows a grassland fire started on Monday at Onkaparinga Hills, south of Happy Valley Reservoir.
The Rural Fire Service warned residents to leave the area, and the fire ravaged an area near Woodcroft.
Water bombers supported the firefighting effort in what CFS duty manager James Honner called a “difficult situation”.
“There's a lot of population nearby,” he told ABC Radio Adelaide.
“Thanks to the quick response from the CFS and the assistance from the MFS, we had about 50 firefighters there very quickly — we were able to stop the fire from spreading. »
“We contained the fire overnight. »
Four firefighters suffered minor injuries during the grassland fire at Onkaparinga Hills. (ABC News: Simon Goodes)
Honner said no homes were damaged.
“We believe a shelter was impacted — it appears to be an abandoned shelter inside the fire zone,” he commented.
“Otherwise, we have done a good job of preventing any impact on other properties.” »
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The CFS chief reported that three firefighters suffered minor injuries when they were struck by falling tree branches while battling the flames. One was taken to hospital for X-rays and has since been released.
A fourth firefighter sprained his ankle while working on steep terrain.
He added that SA Police confirmed the fire was suspicious, and the cause and location of ignition were still under investigation.
Firefighters will remain on site for the next few days.
To conclude, this episode highlights the importance of adequate preparation for environmental risks, especially during festive periods where inattention can lead to catastrophic situations. Collective vigilance is essential to protect both people and property during this delicate period. }
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