SA fires declared ‘catastrophe’
ABC
Pinery man Allan Tiller has been named as one of two victims of the South Australian bushfires.
The 69-year-old was killed on a property at Pinery on Wednesday and was identified by family and friends.
Another fatality was reported when the body of a 56-year-old woman, from Hamley Bridge, was found in her car, while another 13 were in hospital – five of whom are seriously injured.
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Fire burns near the Mallala township on Wednesday. Photo: ABC
At least 16 homes and 22 “significant buildings” were destroyed in the blaze, which ripped through 85,000 hectares in just one day. The total damage to property was not yet known.
South Australia Premier Jay Weatherill said the incident had been declared a “catastrophe” and relief grants between $280 and $700 would be available to those affected.
Preliminary investigations indicated the Pinery fire was not deliberately lit, according to crime scene detectives.
Around 200 people battled the blaze in Pinery, about 80km north of Adelaide, after it ignited at about midday on Wednesday.
A watch and act message was still in place for the Pinery fire.
The Country Fire Service (CFS) said “fire activity remains to the north and to the east of Hamley Bridge and surrounding areas”.
CFS chief officer Greg Nettleton told reporters on Thursday afternoon they were now focusing on areas north of the fire, where undulating terrain was increasing the difficulty of fighting the fires.
Fire front tears towards the Barossa Valley, a popular wine growing region. Photo: ABC
“The weather conditions over the past 12 hours have certainly been in our favour … we have got probably 60 per cent of fire contained, but that is in areas where it is easier to do that,” he said.
Firefighters from interstate joined the fight on Thursday.
Mr Weatherill urged the community to stay informed on the fire, as it was still active.
They hoped to have people returning to their homes in the next 24 to 48 hours.
Woman trampled, thousands of livestock dead
Some residents faced tough decisions as the fire advanced quickly on Wednesday, with one revealing how he had no choice but to leave thousands of pigs for dead, and another describing how his wife was trampled by a horse as she fled.
Orroroo resident Mick told 891 ABC Adelaide his son called him to say a piggery where he works had burnt down.
A hayshed fire at Wasleys still ablaze the day after the deadly fire ripped through the community. Photo: ABC
“He works at a piggery between Wasleys and Mallala … they’ve lost that, all the pigs are gone,” he said.
“They tried to save that but it’s no good.”
The Wasleys Piggery is one of the state’s largest pig farms. Locals on social media estimate that as many as 2000 pigs may be dead.
Paul O’Brien was moving cattle when his wife called “screaming ‘the fire is here'”.
“By the time I got home she had let the horses out and she is now in hospital,” he told 891 ABC Adelaide.
“She has been trampled by one of the horses. So now I’ve got a stallion and three mares running around the property.”
Relief centres were established at the Gawler Sports and Recreation Centre, the Balaklava Racecourse and the Clare Showgrounds.
For SA fire information visit the website at www.cfs.sa.gov.au or phone 1300 362 361.
Yesterday was a day I won’t forget 🔥💨 #bushfires #windchange #itscoming!
A photo posted by Blakey (@b_neld) on
#BREAKING: #PineryFire now fanned by 80km/h winds towards #Kapunda; CFS says it ‘cannot control fire front’ pic.twitter.com/CYa6IMHXUK #SAfires — Australian News Net (@AusNewsNetwork) November 25, 2015
– with ABC, Anthony Colangelo and James Willoughby
