Panorama blaze cause identified as man charged over comfort fire

A man has been fined for starting a fire in Panorama but police say he’s not responsible for the blaze that forced the evacuation of a park in the same area. The cause of that blaze is much stranger.

A man has been issued an expiation notice after a ‘comfort fire’ he lit yesterday in Panorama spread into the bush – but in a surprise twist, this wasn’t the cause of the fire in the same area that forced residents to flee the local caravan park.

The cause of that fire is a little stranger, with police saying a flying fox striking a powerline was to blame for the blaze that started on Brown Hill Creek Rd at Mitcham about 1.40am Tuesday.

The blaze tore through about one hectare and forced Brownhill Creek residents to evacuate before fire crews got it under control.

Emergency services were called back to the same area about 4.30am with reports of a grass fire on a walking trail near Sleeps Hill Drive in Panorama.

South Australia police have since issued a man with an expiation notice for that grass fire in the same area, on the same day.

“Following investigations, it appears a comfort fire got out of control and a 31-year-old man was issued with an expiation notice,” SAPOL said.

“Police urge the public to be vigilant with fire safety and to report any suspicious activity in fire danger areas at the time on the police assistance line 131 444.”