Residents of hills towns including Echunga, Jupiter Creek and Mylor tell of fight or flight from Cherry Gardens bushfire

People across the Adelaide Hills fled their houses, pets in tow, and sought refuge as the Cherry Gardens bushfire approached the area on Sunday night.

Emma McArthur from Jupiter Creek evacuated to Echunga Oval with dogs Missy (German Shepherd) and Dusty. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

A house can be rebuilt but Emma McArthur’s prized pets are irreplacable.

The Jupiter Creek resident was among Hills residents who evacuated to bushfire refuges as the front of the massive fire threatened their homes.

“We were home but got told to leave so we evacuated (to Echunga Oval),” she said, with her two dogs by her side and her cat packed in her car.

“But at least we got the dogs and cats out which is all that matters.

“Of course we hope the house survives but there’s nothing I can do - my valuable possessions are here, so we’ll be okay.

“We’re not sure what we’re going to do yet but we’ve had at least 10 offers to stay - which is a nice thing.”

Echunga resident Elena Zehle heeded police advice to evacuate to Echunga Oval.

“I was at my boyfriend’s house who doesn’t live too far away and thought I’d better get home to grab some stuff of my own but couldn’t get back on my road,” she said.

“We were just having dinner when we got an alert on our phone saying there was a fire in Cherry Gardens.

“We thought ‘Oh yeah. That’s not close’ but shortly after, when we looked again, we knew we had to leave.”

“We live on a farm and have cows but have opened up all the gates for them so they can go if they have to.”

Wallis Cinemas turned the foyer of its Mt Barker theatre into a makeshift bushfire refuge for residents and “dogs on leads, cats and reptiles in cages...”

Dozens of offers of stables and horse floats were made from across the Hills community and beyond to help those with livestock and horses in the path of the blaze.

Mylor resident Karl Moore said on Sunday evening that he was assessing whether to leave or not.

“We’ve got a rooftop sprinkler system fortunately and a 130,000 litre water tank which is full and we have a back up generator which we can source from if needed,” he said.

“It’s a bit of wait and see but I used to be in the CFS so I know that there is no guarantee with anything.”

“The police have already closed some of the roads, which includes right down the bottom of our property and that’s a pretty ominous sight and reminiscent of some of the stuff we saw on TV last year – but now it’s right here with us.”

Mylor resident Karl Moore. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

Echunga resident Eric Braendler said he was going to stay and and had a couple of farming units “so we feel prepared”.

“So we’ll stay and fight. We have four houses here so we feel pretty safe,” he said.

“That said, things aren’t as they used to be. There’s not a lot of irrigation around any more which is a problem and a realconcern so you’ve got to do what you have to.”

The Kangarilla Progress Community Hall was also yesterday opened as a place of last resort.

Bev Langley, of Minton Farm Animal Rescue in Cherry Gardens, said she was already taking in burnt wildlife.

“I’ve got everything full of water and towels and blankets everywhere and clearing everything from the outside of the house,” she said earlier on Sunday.

“My husband Glen is fighting the fires, so he’s not here to help because he’s filling up the planes to put the fires out – so I’m on my own.

“My daughter’s house is at Bradbury and the fire is heading straight for her – so it’s all pretty scary.”

Vicki Kirss, a Cherry Gardens resident and member of Cherry Gardens Community Association, said was moving some horses to Birdwood.

“We’re evacuating livestock as I can see the fire just in the backyard. We’re probably still a few km away from it but we just want to be ready.

“At the moment the fire isn’t heading towards us but the wind keeps on changing, so we still have access here to get out if we hurry.”

Originally published as Residents of hills towns including Echunga, Jupiter Creek and Mylor tell of fight or flight from Cherry Gardens bushfire