Australia Weather News

The state government is urging South Australians to be vigilant about fire safety and the ongoing impacts of the algal bloom over the Easter and school holiday period.

The fire danger season for the Mount Lofty Ranges has been extended for two weeks to May 14 due to the dry conditions and recent fires across the state.

The SA Country Fire Service (CFS) said it was the first time the season had been extended for that area since 2019.

Acting deputy chief officer Brenton Hastie said the threat of fire in rural South Australia was ongoing.

"Fuel loads vary across the Mount Lofty Ranges, with high forest and scrub fuels in parts and somewhat low fuels in others, and the exceptionally dry conditions and lack of forecast rain in the near future poses a risk of fire," Mr Hastie said.

Fire danger season restrictions remain in place for several districts around SA as scheduled until April 30, including the Mid North, Murraylands, Riverland, Lower South East, Upper South East, Yorke Peninsula, Adelaide Metropolitan and Kangaroo Island.

SA's Emergency Services Minister, Emily Bourke, urged Easter holiday-makers to check the CFS website and adhere to any fire restrictions, before lighting campfires or when barbecuing.

"We don't want people going out there and being a headline this Easter, we want to make sure people do it safely," she said.

"So before you do start up a barbecue, please check the website to make sure you can do it safely because we want our CFS volunteers this Easter to also enjoy their Easter."

Last week, authorities also extended fire restrictions in the Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park on the Yorke Peninsula due to "unseasonally dry autumn weather".

Visitors to the national park cannot light fires or use charcoal or solid wood barbecues.

Ms Bourke said firefighting aircraft completed almost double the amount of drops in the 2024-25 fire season, compared to 2023-24.

She labelled the 3,000 drops "an incredible achievement".

"CFS volunteers on the ground have been supported by crews in the sky, with our aerial fleet recording more drops and hours flown than last season," Ms Bourke said.

"Their combined skills protect communities across the state and South Australians are reminded to follow simple steps to help volunteers get a break this Easter."

From the scrub to the sea

Authorities have also urged beachgoers to be aware of local conditions as an ocean algal bloom continues to affect marine life along the South Australian coast.

First picked up on the Fleurieu Peninsula when dead marine life washed ashore, the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has tracked the bloom's movement along Kangaroo Island and the southern Yorke Peninsula.

SA Health's principal water quality advisor, Dr David Cunliffe, said beachgoers should "avoid sections of the beach with obviously discoloured water and foam".

"If people are unlucky and they do experience symptoms such as sore eyes or respiratory symptoms including a cough, then they should move away from the beach and the foreshore and the symptoms will resolve within hours," he said.

"There are no long-lasting effects associated with exposure to the algae.

"There are no toxins that affect humans, it's just the algal particles that are causing the impacts."

Dr Cunliffe said it was safe to consume fish and cockles caught alive, but people should avoid consuming marine animals found dead.

EPA principal marine scientific officer Sam Gaylard said strong westerly winds and a prolonged cold front would help dissipate the bloom.

Ahead of the Easter weekend, SA Police also urged motorists to take care on the state's roads throughout the school holiday period.

"With people commuting to and from holiday destinations, it's essential road users follow the road rules," Superintendent Shane Johnson said.