Share on Twitter
Two homes are feared to be either damaged or destroyed by an uncontrolled bushfire in the hills southeast of Adelaide.
The Cherry Garden blaze sparked an emergency warning on Monday morning, which was downgraded to watch and act by mid-morning.
Residents at nine locations in the Mount Lofty Ranges are being told the dangerous fire may threaten their safety and to leave the area if they re not prepared.
The blaze is burning in a northeasterly direction but difficult wind conditions may cause it to change direction unexpectedly, South Australia s Country Fire Service (CFS) says.
#Bushfire Watch and Act for #CHERRY GARDENS, HICKS HILL ROAD #fire. Take action now as this bushfire may threaten your safety. If you are not prepared, leave now and if the path is clear, go to a safer place. #WAM ID=0005369 #SAFireshttps://t.co/ZcYK3e1GI9pic.twitter.com/QTlSg3KGHL Country Fire Service (@CFSAlerts) January 24, 2021
Australians headed to the beach to escape a heatwave sweeping southeastern states have been warned to take care to avoid dangerous surf and not to try to rescue stricken friends alone, after three people died when they were swept off the rocks south of Sydney on Friday.
Canberra is also experiencing hot weather, expected to top 38C today and tomorrow then climb to 37C on Tuesday before finally getting some respite on Wednesday as temperatures drop below 30C.
Wind warnings have also been issued for the Sydney, Hunter and Illawarra areas with large swells and dangerous surf conditions.
Meanwhile, The Department of Industry, Planning and Environment today issued a warning for poor air quality in Western Sydney due to elevated Ozone pollution.
Victoria
Victoria had an unseasonably cold start to the year but that has sharply changed with Melbourne expected to swelter through a 35C day today followed an uncomfortably hot 40 degrees tomorrow.
18:33 EDT, 24 January 2021
Police have arrested a man as he allegedly sped away from a fire in the Adelaide Hills that is threatening to burn hundreds of homes.
The South Australia Country Fire Service issued the warning for multiple grass fires on Hicks Hill Road at Cherry Gardens - 25km away from the city - on Sunday afternoon.
Police saw a white Hyundai sedan quickly driving away as they approached the scene of the fire that had just started on Piggott Range Road at 6pm on Sunday.
Officers tried to stop the car but the man allegedly kept driving and a short pursuit began. The 60-year-old was pulled over a short time later and arrested.