That's it for our live coverage of the Yorketown fire, which has remained at an Advice level for much of the day. The CFS expects to have it contained within days. For the latest updates visit advertiser.com.au
South Australia Bushfires: Eleven properties damaged but CFS 'optimistic' it will soon contain Yorketown fire
An electrical fault sparked off the huge bushfire that destroyed or damaged 11 properties on the Yorke Peninsula, with reports suggesting it was at the town's water tower. The CFS is "optimistic" it will contain the fire within days. Picture: 7 News
The CFS fought 45 fires on Wednesday in catastrophic fire conditions
As many as 10 homes could have been lost in the Yorketown fire
33 people have suffered minor injuries, with Edithburgh residents evacuated overnight.
An electrical fault at Yorketown's water tower is believed to have sparked off the huge bushfire that destroyed or damaged 11 properties on the Yorke Peninsula.
The CFS is "optimistic" it will soon contain the fire, which jumped containment lines overnight and threatened Edithburgh.
The fire has now been downgraded to an Advice message as changing weather conditions allow firefighters to stop its rapid expansion.
PLEASE NOTE: This live blog has now ended. You can get the latest on the fire at Advertiser.com.au
At least 11 properties, including homes and sheds, have been damaged and approximately 5000 hectares burned with a 61km fire perimeter.
CFS incident controller Richard de Groot said he was “confident” weather conditions would allow crews to fully contain the blaze over the coming days.
He said there have been occasional outbreaks, but in these conditions they are easily doused. The fire is not yet contained but is no longer rapidly expanding.
He confirmed the cause of the fire was a fault with electrical infrastructure, but did not know exactly where it started, despite reports that it was near the Yorketown water tower.
Mr de Groot said there has been a “significant level” of livestock and crop damage, as well as farming machinery.
Animal welfare authorities are supporting landowners with affected livestock and whether some animals need to be euthanised.
An emergency relief centre is open at the Stansbury Bowling Club - 19 Weaver Street, Stansbury. Anyone displaced by the fire or unsure if they can go home or otherwise affected can register at the centre to seek assistance.
St Vincent Highway is closed between Edithburgh and Yorketown. Lake Fowler Road is closed to traffic heading west out of Coobowie.
Map of the Yorketown fire as of 0900 21 November 2019 pic.twitter.com/IFVK7buZPo
— Country Fire Service (@CFSAlerts) November 20, 2019
Fires are burning near the Yorke Hwy in Price - between Ardrossan and Port Clinton in the upper Yorke Peninsula - but the threat has been reduced, and all previous road closures in the area have been lifted.
Meanwhile, a smoke advice message was issued for Appila, Caltowie and Jamestown in the Mid North region as CFS and emergency service crews remain on the scene extinguishing hot spots from an earlier blaze.
For all updates visit the CFS website www.cfs.sa.gov.au or phone the Bushfire Information Hotline on 1800 362 361.
Updates
Live blog closed off
Just don't call me a hero
Captain of the Yorketown CFS Lachlan Hennekam was five minutes behind the first appliance to respond to the bushfire on Wednesday.
He said the fire was moving very quickly and was one of the worst blazes he has seen in his 15 years with the CFS.
“Even other members who have been here for 30 years have never seen something that bad,” Mr Hennekam said.
He doesn’t like the word “hero”, often used by locals when speaking of CFS crews.
“We don’t think of ourselves as heroes, we’re here to do the job. We do it because we want to keep our community safe.”
“Getting feedback is nice to hear, but we don’t do it for that,” he said.
Mr Hennekan, 26, has lived in Yorketown since he was five years old: “the community knows we’re always there for them”.
– Gabriel Polychronis
Yorketown CFS captain Lachlan Hennekam – don't call him a hero.
Picture: Tait Schmaal
Electrical fault caused Yorketown fire
A bushfire burning in Yorketown on the Yorke Peninsula was started by a fault with electrical infrastructure just outside the town, CFS authorities say.
At least 11 properties, including homes and sheds, have been damaged, but a full assessment is still being done and the full extent of the destruction should be known late on Thursday night.
The Yorketown blaze, which first started on Wednesday, has burned approximately 5000 hectares with a 61km perimeter.
CFS Incident Controller Richard de Groot said on Thursday afternoon he was “confident” weather conditions would allow crews to fully contain the blaze over the coming days.
He said there have been occasional outbreaks, but in these conditions they are easily doused.
“With this forecast over the next few hours, we’re quite confident that we’ll be in a position to hold this fire overnight and in the coming days,” he said.
Mr de Groot said there has been a “significant level” of livestock and crop damage, as well as farming machinery.
Animal welfare authorities are supporting landowners with affected livestock and whether some animals need to be euthanised.
He confirmed the cause of the fire was a fault with electrical infrastructure, but did not know exactly where it started, despite reports that it was near the Yorketown water tower.
Fresh fire crews will arrive about 6pm on Thursday to continue battling the blaze amid favourable weather conditions.
“What I can indicate with a level of confidence is that we won’t experience what we did in the early hours of (Thursday) morning,” Mr de Groot said.
– Gabriel Polychronis
Brothers Jack and Tom Giles survey farm machinery that was destroyed by the fire at Edithburgh. Picture: Tait Schmaal
The Yorketown fire was caused by an electrical fault, the CFS has confirmed.
It's been reported investigators are examining if a transformer – part of an electricity pole at the town's water tower – is to blame.
Cause of Yorketown fire revealed
The Yorketown fire was caused by an electrical fault, the CFS has confirmed.
It's been reported investigators are examining if a transformer – part of an electricity pole at the town's water tower – is to blame.
Fire cause investigators are now examining the scene where it's thought the fire began at Yorketown, near the water tank.
Yorketown bushfire downgraded again
The CFS says the Yorketown bushfire has been downgraded to an advice message.
The fire is not yet contained but under current weather conditions, it is no longer rapidly expanding.
In order to ensure the safety of firefighters, residents and other emergency personnel who are working in the area please do not enter the area unless necessary.
Patches of fire remain burning in the fireground and smoke and dust will remain a hazard. If you are in the area and active fire is threatening your safety call triple zero (000) for emergency service assistance.
Despite the predicted cooler temperatures for today, people to the north and east of the fire area need to stay alert, monitor local conditions and decide what to do if the situation changes.
Firefighters will be in attendance throughout the day to respond to any outbreaks, to secure the control line and to extinguish the fire.
There are traffic restrictions in place including the following roads:
St Vincent Highway is closed between Edithburgh and Yorketown.
Lake Fowler Road is closed to traffic heading west out of Coobowie.
For people with issues relating to their animals and livestock there is now a PIRSA hotline for this fire on 1800 255 556.
An Emergency Relief Centre is now open at the Stansbury Bowling Club 19 Weaver Street, Stansbury. Anyone that is displaced by this fire, unsure whether they can go home or otherwise affected by this fire is encouraged to register at the relief centre to seek assistance.
Photos of destruction around Yorkes
Heartbreaking photos of destroyed property is emerging from the fireground around Yorkes, as people begin to return to their homes.
The fire caused about $600,000 of damage to farm machinery on the Giles family farm a few kms outside of Edithburgh.
A CFS alert has been downgraded for Edithburgh, Seven Roads and Troubridge Point, warning residents to stay alert and monitor the conditions.