More than $3.5m raised for SA bushfires

More than $3.5 million has been raised in South Australia for victims of the Kangaroo Island and Cudlee Creek bushfires. Here’s how to help.

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South Australians are digging deep with more $3.5 million raised in the wake of devastating bushfires across the state.

Premier Steven Marshall said every dollar raised was going directly to people that have lost loved ones, their homes, properties, businesses, and their livelihoods.

“The outpouring of support for South Australians in their hour of need has been an inspiration,” he said.

“We have all been shocked and saddened by the scale of destruction on Kangaroo Island, coming on top of the devastating losses in the Adelaide Hills.

Jared McArdle stands amid ruins - he two family homes in the fire and about 15 per cent of his sheep flock. Picture: Tait Schmaal

“At this difficult time, we’re encouraging South Australians to continue to dig deep and donate what they can to the SA Bushfire Appeal, to help their fellow South Australians rebuild in the weeks, months and years ahead.”

Radio Italiana 531 president Mario Romaldi said the Italian community had donated more than $50,000 after the station started an appeal on Christmas Day.

“We’ve done a lot for tragedies back in Italy and we thought we have to put our hands up and do something for SA,” he said.

A NASA Earth satellite image taken on January 9 of the fires and smoke drifting from Kangaroo Island Picture: AFP / NASA Earth Observatory

The Kangaroo Island fires have destroyed more than 215,000ha – almost half of the island – since December 20 last year.

More than 60 homes have been lost, two people have died and tens of thousands of animals - native and stock - have died.

SA Power Networks crews will today attempt to enter the fireground, with more than 900 people still without electricity.

SA Water technicians will continue work to repair the badly damaged Middle River Water Treatment Plant.

And the popular holiday lodge at Vivonne Bay is confirmed been lost along with other properties in the south coast town during Thursday night’s escalation in the island’s bushfire emergency.

The blaze is still burning in some areas but the Country Fire Service has reduced its warnings to a simple bushfire alert.

Cooler conditions and rain on Friday allowed firefighters to stop most of its forward spread.

Ferry operator SeaLink, which also runs Vivonne Bay Lodge, said the facility had suffered significant damage.

A Hills hoist, all that’s left standing at a holiday shack overlooking Vivonne Bay. Picture: Brad Fleet

“Everyone at SeaLink is saddened by this loss of property,” the company said.

“We are committed to supporting recovery efforts to rebuild Island infrastructure and tourism including re-establishing operations from Vivonne Bay Lodge as soon as practical.

“We are thankful that many homes in Vivonne Bay have been saved due to the tireless and outstanding efforts of emergency service personnel.”

Also spared for a second time within a week was the central island town of Parndana where a number of residents had decided to stay and defend.

The fire came within about 15 kilometres of the island’s largest town of Kingscote before the situation eased.

CFS firefighters at Kingscote Oval, after fighting fires throughout the night earlier this week. Picture: AAP / David Mariuz

CFS chief officer Mark Jones said while crews were now getting the upper hand in most areas, the fires would not be completely extinguished in the short term.

“The changing conditions should allow crews to be successful in reducing spread today and controlling the fires,” he said.

“They will not be extinguished today, I would not want anyone to take false hope from that.

“This is an ongoing and lengthy operation.”

- with AAP