South Australian authorities have issued an emergency warning for an uncontrolled bushfire in the Adelaide Hills, while a fire on the Fleurieu Peninsula has been downgraded.

  • Ninety CFS volunteers are working to control the Hills blaze
  • Many roads in the area are only open to fire crews
  • Authorities urging people in the area to activate their survival plan

The fire is expected to burn north-easterly towards the South Eastern Freeway and more heavily populated parts of the Adelaide Hills.
The emergency warning zone now includes Mylor, Longwood and Biggs Flat, after temperatures hit 40 degrees Celsius across most of the state on Sunday.
The fire is currently burning near Hicks Hill Road, Orchard Road, Lewis Street and Frith Road.
The Watch and Act zones now span around the north and eastern edges of the fire, including major population centres like Stirling, Aldgate, Bridgewater, Heathfield, Upper Sturt and Echunga.
South Australia’s Country Fire Service says more than 700 hectares has already been burnt in the Cherry Gardens area and there are reports of several outbuildings being damaged.
More than 200 firefighters are battling the blaze, which started around 4:00pm in hot and windy conditions.
CFS Deputy State Commander Yvette Dowling says crews will be working throughout the night.
“The most significant fire is the Cherry Gardens fire that is a significant fire,” Ms Dowling said.
Smoke billowing into the air over the Cherry Gardens bushfire.(ABC News: Carl Saville)
She said people in Kangarilla, Scott Creek, Upper Sturt, Longwood, Mount Bold, Mylor and Heathfield, as well as Meadows, Echunga and Macclesfield, need to be on alert.
LoadingAnyone in those areas needs to activate their bushfire survival plan now.
But the CFS is warning people in Hahndorf, Aldgate and Stirling to be mindful of embers.
Ms Dowling said seven fires had merged into one to create the dangerous blaze around the Mount Bold Reservoir, which has burnt about 700 hectares of dense scrub.
“It’s going to be very difficult to control,” she said.
But she said the wind change that came through about 5:30pm should bring increased humidity, which would eventually make it “easier to get under control”.
Ms Dowling said the greater humidity, reduced winds overnight and rainfall expected about midday on Monday would help fire fighters.
A lot of roads in the area are closed, including Strathalbyn, Cherry Gardens, River and Echunga roads. They are only open to emergency vehicles.
Anyone wanting to evacuate their livestock and pets are able to take them to the Adelaide Hills Polo Club, at Woodside, or the Strathalbyn Racing Club.
The smoke plume from the Cherry Gardens bushfire looms over the city.(ABC News: Nicholas Ward)
Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Jonathan Fisher said the 5:30pm wind change did not significantly drop temperatures in the Adelaide Hills.
“We haven’t seen any relief with that change,” he said.
“Everyone in Adelaide will be able to see quite a spectacular smoke plume.”
Adelaide’s temperature reached 42.7 degrees Celsius just after midday and remained in the high 30s into the early evening.
Much of the rest of the state also sweltered, with Port Augusta reaching a high of 45.3 degrees Celsius.
Flames leap high into the air at Cherry Gardens.(ABC News)
A second emergency warning had just been issued for an uncontrolled bushfire at Hunts Road, Finniss, on the Fleurieu Peninsula about 50km south of Cherry Gardens but that has since been downgraded to an advice message.
The CFS has also issued a watch and act message regarding a bushfire at Tilley Swamp, near Kingston SE in the state’s south-east, which has burnt about 500 hectares.
This has now been downgraded as wellbut the Princes Highway remains closed.

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