Catastrophic fire warning issued for Yorke Peninsula and Lower Eyre Peninsula this weekend

Temperatures are set to soar this weekend, with very high fire danger on Saturday – but a cool change will be just behind it.

A catastrophic fire danger rating has been forecast for the Yorke Peninsula and Lower Eyre Peninsula on Saturday.

Temperatures are forecast to his 35C in Adelaide, and higher in the regions.

“The catastrophic fire danger represents the highest risk presented to communities from this forecast fire weather,” CFS Chief Officer Brett Loughlin said.

He said a fire that took hold on Saturday would be “fast-moving and0dynamic”.

“It will be very difficult for ground and aerial resources to control and it will present a clear risk to lives, property and livelihood,” he said.

CFS Chief Officer Brett Laughlin. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Roy VanDerVegt

Mr Loughlin advised firefighters would be on very high alert tomorrow and their levels of preparedness has increased across the state.

“Under these conditions in those areas where there is an extreme or catastrophic forecast, the best thing people can do is ensure that you have your own plans in place should a fire commence in your area.” Mr Loughlin said.

Bureau of Meteorology metrologist Jonathan Fischer said weather on Saturday will forecast a “significant increase” in winds and temperatures across the state ahead of a trough.

The areas of greatest risk are the Eyre Peninsula, Yorke Peninsula, the Mid-North and the Mount Lofty Ranges are areas of greatest risk with extreme to catastrophic fire danger forecasts, but the elevated fire weather would extend to other parts of the state.

Emergency Services Minister Joe Szakacs said there has been a fire danger risk across five districts on Saturday and there has been a forward deployment of aerial firefighting assets into communities

.

A Port Lincoln, there will be forward positioning of four aerial firefighting assets to support the Lower Eyre community.

In the Mid-North there will be four aerial firefighting assets, in the Mount Lofty region there will be four assets deployed.

“The CFS has been working diligently to secure additional aerial firefighting assets and thanks to national co-ordination and relationships that a large aerial tanker has been secured tomorrow and will be positioned ready for deployment at RAF Edinburgh air base.” Mr Szakacs said.

Saturday is forecast to reach 35C for Adelaide, before a cool change develops in the evening and into next week.

Henley Beach during summer. Picture: Morgan Sette

There will be a chance of showers for most of the week, with rain on the radar from Sunday through to Wednesday.

Similar conditions will be felt in Mount Gambier, with a thunderstorm also on the cards for the Flinders.

The wet weather will be accompanied by below average seasonal temperatures.

From Sunday, Adelaide won’t surpass 21C while Mount Gambier will sit on 16C until Thursday.

Further north, Port Augusta will also see unexpected lows, with the regional city forecast to receive temperatures in the mid 20s.

Meanwhile, Riverland communities face becoming “fully inundated or completely isolated” as the River Murray rises, authorities say.

Flows are forecast to soon hit 190GL a day, rising to 220GL a day by late December. Flows across the border are currently 180GL a day and rising – rates not seen in decades.

As authorities admit they’re unsure just how much water is coming down the river, SES chief executive Chris Beattie warned some towns in the lower-river sections cannot be protected. “We’ve got a number of communities right across the upper Riverland areas, Murraylands, and down in the lower-river sections that will either become fully inundated or completely isolated,” he said.