Bushfire burning towards SA town

South Australia is engulfed in “extremely dangerous” bushfires as hot weather and high winds hit the region.

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

Just after 3.30pm, the SA Country Fire Service confirmed two firefighters had been flown to hospital with serious burns.

More than 250 firefighters are on the frontline, which is being fanned by winds at up to 60km/h, and around 19 aircraft have been deployed, including two water bombers from NSW – the DC10 Southern Belle, and the Hercules air tanker Thor.

Just after 4pm Mallala Primary School was evacuated, with the township advised to do the same.

The Pinery fire is travelling in a South East direction towards Mallala.

The South Australian Country Fire Service urged people to take shelter and to not leave on foot or by auto because ‘it is too late and the roads will not be safe’.

The Clare fire destroyed about 200 hectares of scrub but was contained early Wednesday afternoon.

The fires came as temperatures in SA’s mid-north and southeast were forecast to reach the mid-30s and push into the low 40s in some regional centres.

Once the fire front has passed, check the immediate area and extinguish anything burning.

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.

This emergency warning is in place for: Concordia, Kingsford, Sandy Creek, Cockatoo Valley and Lyndoch. Act immediately. Follow your Bushfire Survival Plan, ‘ the warning said.

‘If you are in this area you are in danger.

As the day wore on, reports of embers falling at Mannum on the River Murray, more than 70 kilometres from the worst fires, emerged.