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Emergency Warning Issued as Grass Fire Threatens South Australian Towns

An out-of-control grass fire is threatening lives and homes south of Adelaide in South Australia, having burned approximately 650 hectares. Residents in Tooperang and Nangkita were initially told to evacuate immediately, though the warning was later downgraded to prepare to leave. More than 200 volunteer firefighters with over 60 trucks worked through the night to contain the blaze, which is moving south towards several small townships. CFS officials warn that forecast shifting winds could cause the fire to change direction with little notice.

Key Points: South Australia Grass Fire Prompts Emergency Evacuation Warnings

  • Fire burning near Tooperang, 50km south of Adelaide
  • Over 200 firefighters deployed with 60+ trucks
  • Residents told to evacuate or prepare to leave
  • Shifting winds forecast to change fire direction
2 min read

Emergency warning issued over South Australian grass fire

An out-of-control grass fire near Adelaide threatens homes, prompting evacuations. Over 200 firefighters battle the blaze amid shifting winds.

"Take action now as this bushfire may threaten your safety. - Country Fire Service"

Canberra, Jan 19

Hundreds of firefighters have been deployed to contain an out-of-control grass fire that is threatening lives and homes south of Adelaide in the state of South Australia.

The fire started near the small town of Tooperang, 50 km south of Adelaide, on Sunday afternoon, and had burned around 650 hectares of grass and scrub, said the Country Fire Service (CFS).

Residents of Tooperang and the nearby town of Nangkita were on Sunday night told to evacuate immediately, but the emergency warning was downgraded on Monday, with residents instead told to prepare to leave, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Take action now as this bushfire may threaten your safety," the warning issued by the CFS said.

It said that the fire was burning in a southerly direction towards Nangkita and the townships of Mount Jagged and Mosquito Hill, which had a combined population of around 600 people at the time of the 2021 national census.

More than 200 volunteer firefighters from the CFS supported by over 60 trucks worked through Sunday night to try and prevent the spread of the fire.

CFS fire trucks and firefighters supported by, South Australian Police and South Australian Ambulance Service will continue to work to reduce the spread of the fire and limit the impact to the local community. Crews will continue to work throughout the day to extinguish the fire.

CFS officer Ben Pettman told the ABC that shifting winds forecast for Monday would cause the fire to change directions at short notice.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Over 200 volunteers working through the night! That's incredible dedication. It's a good reminder for us in India too—community response and preparedness are key during disasters. Hope they get it under control soon.
D
David E
Reading this from Mumbai. The shifting winds sound like the biggest challenge. Makes me think of how unpredictable our own monsoon-related incidents can be. Wishing strength to the crews and safety to all residents.
A
Ananya R
"Mosquito Hill" – the town name caught my eye! On a serious note, 650 hectares is a massive area. It's good the warning was downgraded, but "prepare to leave" means the threat is still very real. Hope they have robust emergency alerts like we are trying to implement.
V
Vikram M
Respectfully, while the response seems strong, articles like this often miss the deeper point about climate change. These intense fires are becoming more frequent globally. Our focus everywhere, including India, needs to be as much on mitigation as on firefighting.
S
Sarah B
The coordination between fire service, police, and ambulance is crucial. Sometimes in local disasters here, the lack of seamless inter-agency work costs time. A lesson to learn. Sending positive thoughts to South Australia.

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