Fire Danger Season ends for six districts, extended for Lower Eyre, windy weekend ahead
13/04/2018
The Fire Danger Season will finish for the Eastern Eyre Peninsula, Flinders, Murraylands, Riverland, Upper South East and West Coast fire ban districts at midnight Sunday.
Due to a prolonged dry spell in the Lower Eyre Peninsula, the Fire Danger Season has been extended by three weeks, with the end now set as 6 May 2018.
The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast windy conditions over the weekend, and although patchy rain is expected, dangerous fire conditions will not ease until winds abate.
CFS State Duty Commander Leigh Miller said the risk of bushfire is not over until we have substantial rainfall to encourage green grass growth and increase fuel moisture in bushland areas.
"We would require rainfall of more than 70mm, combined with milder autumn conditions, before we are likely to see a reduction in risk," Mr Miller said.
He cautioned people in areas where the Fire Danger Seasons had completed to commence burn-offs with care.
SDC Miller advised that anyone wishing to do any burning after the season has ended to comply with the Broad Acre Burning Code of Practice to make sure burning is done safely.
"There will still be patches within the state where fuel loads are still high and very dry, so people may need to delay their burn-offs a few more weeks to avoid large fires," he said.
Finishing dates for the Adelaide Metropolitan, Kangaroo Island, Lower South East, Mid North, Mount Lofty Ranges and Yorke Peninsula fire ban districts are yet to be announced and may be extended past the planned termination dates.
