At least five people are now confirmed dead as fires continue to rage across lower Eyre Peninsula in South Australia towards coastal townships.
Emergency service workers are describing the situation as pandemonium, with the fire sweeping across a line covering virtually the entire width of the lower Eyre Peninsula.
The State Emergency Service (SES) says boats have been deployed to save people jumping into the sea to escape the flames.
Local police chief, Inspector Malcolm Schluter, says it is a shocking day for the region, with the full extent of the devastation still yet to unfold.
"At least five people have lost their lives today," he said.
"We're looking at other reports which may increase that number."
Fire front
The latest reports suggest the fire is now within about two kilometres of Tumby Bay, a popular coastal resort.
Krista Saint John from the Country Fire Service says the fire has reached the coast of the lower Eyre Peninsula.
"The fire has damaged some property in the Louth Bay area and we believe water services in the area have been affected," she said.
"Residents of Koppio were self-evacuating towards the Tumby Bay area as a precaution.
"There is still some active fire around the Wanilla area however we are not aware of property damage there, the main property damage has been around the Louth Bay area."
Gordon Hartley from the local SES says horrendous conditions of hot weather and strong winds have made the fire all but uncontrollable.
"People who got out of the road of the fire, got into the water," Mr Hartley said.
"We just don't know how deep they're in there, so if they get exhausted we might have to drag them out of the water."
Regions either affected or under possible threat include Wanilla, Wangary, White Flat, Louth Bay and North Shields, all north to north-west of Port Lincoln.
Emergency shelter
The manager of the Tumby Bay Hotel says accommodation in the town is booked out by people evacuating areas threatened by the fire and those who are unable to reach Port Lincoln due to road closures.
Steve White says the local football club and sports stadium have opened their doors to people fleeing the fire.
He says the hotel is trying to get food together for CFS volunteers.
"We've got my wife Sharon and quite a crew in the kitchen cutting up salads and coleslaw because there's a lot of men [who have] been out there for a long time and will need feeding when they get back," he said.
"We've got another crew here that will need a feed when they go out and take over their appliances."
North Shields
Malcolm O'Brien, the owner of North Shields hotel the Wheat Sheaf, says he has spoken to staff at the hotel who say the damage in that area may not be as bad as previously thought.
"The hotel is still standing in all her glory," he said.
"There are problems with some homes in the street that the pub is on.
"Some homes [have] been lost there, the caravan park has been partially burnt, but it certainly hasn't been burnt out."
Earlier reports said the town has been destroyed by the fire and that all the residents were on the beach.
Mount Osmond
There is also a fire burning at Mount Osmond near Adelaide.
The Metropolitan Fire Service (MFS) says the blaze has almost been contained, and efforts are now being directed towards protecting homes at Eagle on the Hill.
The MFS says no homes have sustained any structural damage. Up to 20 homes were under threat earlier this afternoon in the Mount Osmond area.
An MFS spokesman says fresh fire crews are being sent to the area, to support 250 firefighters already at the scene.
A Mount Osmond resident known only as Tony says there is thick smoke in the area and fire crews have done well to protect homes from the blaze.
"About 10 minutes ago I though we might have lost a lot but a couple of guys with some hoses have arrived," he said.
"We've probably had damage to an extended room which just encloses the swimming pool."
My mum and my sister just left the region where the worst bushfires are yesterday. If they'd left today they'd be stuck there.
We also have some friends of the family who are still there.
And Mount Osmond isn't that far from my house. I can see the smoke from here.
"I would say that the above post is off-topic, except that I'm not sure what the topic of this thread is, and I don't think anybody else is sure either."
- Darth Wong Free Durian - Last updated 27 Dec
"Why does it look like you are in China or something?" - havokeff
I was in LA for the brushfires of '03, right under the hills in Rancho Cucamonga. Hell of a sight, especially at night. You could almost forget just how miserable the whole situation was.
Petrosjko wrote:I was in LA for the brushfires of '03, right under the hills in Rancho Cucamonga. Hell of a sight, especially at night. You could almost forget just how miserable the whole situation was.
Petrosjko wrote:I was in LA for the brushfires of '03, right under the hills in Rancho Cucamonga. Hell of a sight, especially at night. You could almost forget just how miserable the whole situation was.
This year promises to be horrible wrt to bushfires in Australia. Very dry year, and in the west here, we are expecting a very hot summer.
Also, Bush's idea on how to 'reduce' the risk of bush fires by selectively logging is a big fucking joke.
You need to clear the underbrush, not remove a few tress here and there. Now that was "jobs for the boys", and not any real preventative measure.
"Okay, I'll have the truth with a side order of clarity." ~ Dr. Daniel Jackson.
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Well, a cool change is coming through tonight, and the one in the hills is pretty much fine. The Freeway was even open again a few hours ago (mostly)
*sigh* My X-box is trapped 7-hours drive away in the middle of the bushfires on the Eyre penninsula.
"I would say that the above post is off-topic, except that I'm not sure what the topic of this thread is, and I don't think anybody else is sure either."
- Darth Wong Free Durian - Last updated 27 Dec
"Why does it look like you are in China or something?" - havokeff
ggs wrote:You need to clear the underbrush, not remove a few tress here and there. Now that was "jobs for the boys", and not any real preventative measure.
At least in the US many of the forest have obscene tree densities so that if a fire does get started up I'd expect it to have enormous amounts of fuel to feed on. For underbrush, I'd hope that Bush knows that they're a good source of fuel to start a fire, seeing as he owns that huge ranch in Texas (with forest, IIRC)
The last I heard the death toll was up to 8. I don't know anyone in the area fortunately. I could see the smoke from the Mount Osmond fire when I was driving to Norwood. The temperature yesterday was such that I would have been surprised if there weren't any bushfires. It is terrible what happend to those 8 killed and the others affected by this.
10 now.
I hope the fires dont spread even further. that area is so tinder dry at present it could easily get worse. Plus my town in on that damn peninsula. Time to start praying for rain.
If apathy could be converted to energy, Australia would have an Unlimited power source.
Well, I heard tonight that they're contained, and should be put out in the next few days.
"I would say that the above post is off-topic, except that I'm not sure what the topic of this thread is, and I don't think anybody else is sure either."
- Darth Wong Free Durian - Last updated 27 Dec
"Why does it look like you are in China or something?" - havokeff
