SA: Firefighters monitor hotspots after 25 blazes

AAP General News (Australia)
12-21-2005
SA: Firefighters monitor hotspots after 25 blazes

ADELAIDE, Dec 21 AAP - Firefighters today will continue to monitor hotspots throughout
South Australia after several bushfires yesterday.

A helicopter will this morning survey the area burnt by the largest fire, that occurred
near Murray Bridge, east of Adelaide.

About 470 hectares of crop and scrub land were destroyed by the blaze, which at one
point came very close to a local caravan park and the Mobilong Prison.

Waterbombing aircraft were called in to battle the blaze, which is believed to have
started on the side of a road on the western outskirts of the Murray Bridge township.

More than 25 fires were reported yesterday, as SA sweltered in temperatures of more
than 40 degrees.

A fire at Cockaleechie (Cockaleechie), near Tatiara on the state's Eyre Peninsula,
started not far from where a bushfire in January claimed nine lives.

The Cockaleechie fire, which at one stage threatened a homestead, burnt about 180 hectares
of crop and scrub land and took more than an hour to control.

A fire near Curramulka, on SA's Yorke Peninsula, also threatened homes.

That blaze, believed to have been started by farm machinery, destroyed a shed and burnt
150ha of cropping land.

Meanwhile, fire crews from Victoria were called to assist local firefighters at Bordertown,
where farm machinery was also believed responsible for another blaze.

The CFS said major fires were also reported at Freeling, north of Adelaide, Yankalilla,
south of Adelaide, and Naracoorte, in the state's south-east.

AAP la/drp

KEYWORD: BUSHFIRES SA DAYLEAD

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