Check and extinguish previous burn-offs today
20/11/2012
The Country Fire Service (CFS) is asking all landholders who have recently conducted burn-offs on their land to check the area again to ensure it has been fully extinguished.
CFS Regional Commander John Probert said that many property owners particularly in the Lower South East fire ban district have been burning off in recent days ahead of the start of its fire danger season on Thursday.
"We welcome the efforts of land owners to reduce fuel loads on their properties but with Extreme conditions and a Fire Ban warning issued for the Lower South East today, there should be no fires burning anywhere in this district," Mr Probert said.
"This also applies to the Upper South East where the Fire Danger Season has already commenced and bans apply today which means there should be nothing burning outdoors."
Fire bans have been declared in all but one of South Australia's 15 Fire Ban Districts, with the Adelaide Metropolitan District being exempted with a High Fire Ban rating.
Catastrophic fire danger warnings have also been declared for the Eastern Eyre Peninsula, Lower Eyre Peninsula and Yorke Peninsula.
"People who have been conducting burn-offs on their property or burning rubbish in their yards have a responsibility to ensure the fire is extinguished today," Mr Probert said.
"Smouldering fire and burning embers will pose an unacceptable risk and could easily develop into a potentially devastating bushfire in today's forecasted conditions," he said.
"Windy conditions can increase the chance of the fire spreading, so burning should only take place when the forecast indicates low temperatures with mild wind activity."
For more information about burn-offs visit the CFS website at www.cfs.sa.gov.au.
For up-to-date weather information visit the Bureau of Meteorology website www.bom.gov.au/sa.
