Fire deaths tragic: SA premier

SOME injuries and building losses are feared in a major bushfire burning out of control near Mallala, north of Adelaide.

Premier Joe Weatherill confirmed the two deaths at a press conference on Wednesday, calling it “the worst of news”.

The Insurance Council of Australia has established a taskforce, activated its disaster hotline and deployed staff to deal with the fallout from Wednesday’s blaze, which burnt 85,000 hectares – much of it cropping land – and destroyed at least 16 homes.

“This has been a devastating few hours for large parts of the state and unfortunately there is some time to go until we have fire fronts under control”, Mr Weatherill said.

Another 13 people are in hospital, five of them in critical or serious conditions with significant burns.

One has burns to more than 80 per cent of their body and “we do hold grave concerns for them”, Mr Weatherill told reporters at an early morning briefing.

A warning has been issued for people living in Magdalla, Wasleys, Pinkerton, Woolsheds, Redbanks in the north, and near Trowbridge Road, Allenby Road, Drought Road and Lameroo South Road.

“It’s going to be a long haul for many of our crews”.

“We lose a lot of property after a change if a fire is running, and that is something people need to be very careful about”, he said. Their condition is being closely monitored.

“We’ve got a big machinery shed… the gutters of that are 25 feet off the top of the ground and the flames were coming off the top of that shed”, he said.

“Until we get really substantial rainfall across the state, we’re in a risky fire situation for the summer”, he said. Brendan Moten described how the sky darkened with ash as he fled his rural property and sought safety in the town of Kapunda, with the fire raging around him and his family. “There’s nothing left, it’s absolutely devastation”, grain farmer Peter March told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Homes are not designed or constructed to withstand a fire in these conditions.

The Law Society of South Australia has released a list of lawyers who can give bushfire victims immediate help while the SA Legal Services Commission has a free advice line.