Total fire ban in Lower South East as temperatures heat, while CFS battles large fire near Balaklava

A total fire ban has been issued in the Lower South East as a heatwave settles across SA. It comes as firefighters battle a large hay blaze near Balaklava.

A total fire ban has been issued in the Lower South East on Thursday as temperatures continue to soar in South Australia.

The region has been rated as severe for fire danger today, with a gusty south-westerly wind change bringing with it wind speeds of 35km/h in the mid afternoon.

Every region in SA except the North East Pastoral District will see high to very high fire risk on Thursday, increasing on Friday to severe in many parts.

It comes as firefighters battle a large haystack fire west of Balaklava in the Mid North.

The fire is still burning through up to 1000 large hay bales and could be visible in the areas of Port Wakefield, Balaklava and the Augusta Highways.

It is expected CFS firefighters will remain at the scene for several days to control hot spots with the possibility of smoke in the area.

Hot across #SouthAustralia on Thursday, with Very High fire danger in most districts and Severe fire danger in the #LowerSouthEast. A #FireWeatherWarning is in place. See https://t.co/n5xel5IFp9 for details. Be prepared and stay fire aware @CFSTalk

— Bureau of Meteorology, South Australia (@BOM_SA) December 29, 2021

“You are advised to close all doors and windows and stay indoors if you suffer from any respiratory or cardiac conditions,” a statement from the CFS said.

“Motorists are advised to be careful on the roads, as smoke may reduce visibility.”

Adelaide is forecast to reach 36C on Thursday, 38C for New Year’s Eve on Friday and 37C for the first day of 2022.

PINE PLANTATION FIRES SUSPICIOUS

Four fires in pine plantations on the Limestone Coast may have been deliberately lit, police say.

The first fire, at a pine plantation on Duell Rd at Moorak, caught the attention of police about 8pm on November 30. It was deemed suspicious, but the official cause was undetermined.

Another plantation was targeted on December 12.

Fire crews responded to the blaze on Furness Rd at Dismal Swamp about 3pm, which was also deemed suspicious.

Two weeks later, on December 27, a suspicious fire was started in a pine forest off McEncroe Rd at Tarpeena and burned five hectares of land.

A few hours later, a second fire was spotted about 400m from the original blaze. It was promptly extinguished.

Anyone lighting fires would be prosecuted, Officer in charge of Limestone Coast Local Service Area, Inspector Karmen Conway, said.

“Police deploy resources in the region during the fire danger season specifically looking for those who flout the law or who are negligent in their actions around vegetation,” she said.

STREAKY BAY BUSHFIRE ARREST

A man has been arrested after allegedly lighting multiple fires on the Eyre Peninsula, as authorities warn of elevated fire danger and hot weather in South Australia.

The first fire was reported to the Country Fire Service along the side of the Flinders Highway about 8.30am on Tuesday, and was quickly extinguished, before a second fire was reported a short time later, about a kilometre away.

Two further fires were reported in the grass along the Flinders Highway at locations north of Streaky Bay just before 1.30pm the same day.

A witness told police a man was seen on the highway at the time of the fires.

Police arrested the Goodwood man, 45, and charged him with four counts of intentionally lighting a bushfire.

He was refused bail, to appear in the Ceduna Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

Temperatures are beginning to ramp up and high fire danger warnings have been issued across the state into the weekend.

Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Tom Boeck said temperatures are rising to peak at 37C for Friday and Saturday in Adelaide.

“It looks like a hot end and a hot start for the year,” Mr Boeck said.

“Other parts of the state are also going to be heating up by the time we get to Thursday and Friday, northern parts of the state will be in the very hot range, so starting to ramp up in those parts.

“There’s elevated fire danger right through the state as the temperatures increase over the next few days.”

Fire danger ratings are high and very high for most regions of the state from Wednesday.

“Certainly the peak of the temperatures will be the Flinders and the Pastoral districts on Sunday and Monday, where temperatures will get to the middle 40s,” Mr Boeck said.