David Basham says new Alert SA app failed to notify him of a fire, as creators remind users to check that ‘Watch Zones’ are set up

A Fleurieu MP has shared his experience of the revamped and expanded Alert SA app, saying it was failed to keep notified of a fire yesterday, but the creators say it’s been extensively tested.

A revamped and expanded Alert SA App to notify the public of emergencies is causing confusion among some users, who say they are not receiving alerts.

The SA Fire and Emergency Services Commission (SAFECOM) said people had contacted them believing the app did not work, but it was found to be a device error.

The app has had a checkered history and in 2018 was shut down for more than a year after a string of glitches that included dispatching misleading information, or failing completely.

Finniss MP David Basham said the app failed to notify him of a grass fire on his parent’s property. Picture: Morgan Sette.

Finniss MP David Basham said the app – which has a checkered history – failed to notify him of a grass fire on his parent’s property near Port Elliot, on Thursday.

“Despite the app being fully updated with all the correct notification settings, I didn’t receive any alerts,” Mr Basham said. “This is a frightening prospect, not just for me, but for everyone living and working in bushfire-prone areas.

“I’ve also heard from others in the local community who have encountered similar issues with the app. It cannot be hit-or-miss, it must work for everyone, every time.”

The revamped app, released in November, was previously dedicated to bushfires but has been expanded to include alerts for heatwaves, severe weather, urban fires and floods.

Load and performance testing of the app showed it was responsive to 500,000 concurrent users and could generate one million push notifications within an hour.

The highest load the Alert SA app previously experienced was 70,000 users over a 24-hour period during the Cherry Gardens bushfire on January 25, 2021.

A SA Fire and Emergency Services Commission chief executive Julia Waddington-Powell said the app was operating as expected and continued to provide timely information.

SAFECOM chief executive Julia Waddington-Smith said the app was operating as expected and continued to provide timely information. Picture Matt Turner.

“Users are reminded to check their Watch Zones are set up, push notifications are enabled, and the latest compatible version of the app is installed, to avoid common issues,” Ms Waddington-Powell said.

“We’ve already faced several fires, total fire bans and heatwave conditions this summer, and as we head into hotter weather over the weekend, community preparedness is crucial.”

Some users may not receive alerts if the incident, or warning was outside of their zone.

If unsure of device settings, users were recommended to delete the app and reinstall it.

The concerns come as a scrub fire continues to burn near Naracoorte and a low-intensity heatwave is forecast for this weekend, with temperatures climbing to 36C in Adelaide on Saturday.

Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Jenny Horvat said a high pressure system in the Tasman Sea and northerly airstream would contribute to rising temperatures and winds this weekend.

Temperatures for Saturday include 42C in Port Augusta, 38C in Clare, 39C in Keith and Bordertown, 41C in Murray Bridge and 43C in Coober Pedy.

The bushfire rating has been listed as extreme in the Mount Lofty Ranges on Saturday and, on Sunday, extreme in the Flinders and Mid North areas.

“There will be a thunderstorm risk on Saturday in western parts near the WA border, moving broadly across the western and southern parts on Sunday,” Ms Horvat said.

“The thunderstorms will be quite high with not a lot of rainfall, so dry lightning could start fires ... but it’s more of a risk on Sunday across the West Coast and the Eyre Peninsula.”