SA fire: Emergency warning issued for bushfire at Sherwood near Keith
Updated
An emergency warning has been issued for a bushfire near Keith in South Australia's Upper South East, amid catastrophic weather conditions in parts of the state.
Country Fire Service firefighters are battling the "extremely dangerous bushfire" in the Sherwood area, which includes Dark Island Well, Emu Flat, Wurlyana, Eckert and Wirrega North Roads.
"If you are in this area, you are in danger. There is a risk to your life and property," a CFS statement said.
Sherwood is about 220 kilometres south-east of Adelaide.
The CFS said the fire was moving in a south-easterly direction.
Firefighters are also currently at a blaze near McLaren Vale, south of Adelaide.
The CFS is on its highest level of alert today and extra waterbombers have been on standby, after experts forecast the worst fire conditions in the state since the deadly 2015 Pinery blaze.
The fire danger risk is rated as catastrophic in the Mount Lofty Ranges and upper and lower south-east districts, and total fire bans are in place across the state.
At midday the temperature in Adelaide had reached 40 degrees Celsius with a predicted top of 41C.
In country South Australia, Port Augusta is predicted to hit 46C, Renmark 45C, Port Pirie 44C and 44C at Whyalla.
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather warning for damaging winds in the upper and lower south-east districts and there are strong wind warnings for metropolitan waters, Spencer Gulf and Gulf St Vincent.
Overnight the CFS put out fires at Curramulka and Tantanoola and crews contained a fire at Penfield, north of Adelaide.
The CFS and State Government have both said conditions will be the worst since the Pinery fire of late 2015, which claimed two lives.
Topics: fires, emergency-incidents, emergency-planning, weather, bushfire, sa, adelaide-5000
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