On a scorching 36-degree day in Adelaide, some residents were forced to evacuate their homes as local fire crews battled a major uncontrolled grassfire in the city’s north. With temperatures set to soar further, total fire bans have been declared across five districts in South Australia for Boxing Day, leaving authorities on high alert.
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00:00On a hot and windy day, authorities wasted no time attacking the fire from all angles.
00:09Certainly an intense fire with high stakes. This is a highly populated area with the grass
00:16fires burning right up to the edge of property boundaries.
00:19Residents in Adelaide Smithfield preparing for the worst.
00:22When we first got there it was small, but it quickly spread, pretty quickly.
00:29When I come closer it's spread out too fast.
00:33High winds pushing the fire and threatening some homes.
00:37Whoa, right up there.
00:39We were able to evacuate safely residents from a number of surrounding streets for about an hour.
00:45Gave us an opportunity to get in there and slow the fire down and extinguish it.
00:50Authorities believe the blaze started behind an army training facility and quickly spread across 27 acres.
00:57It took 17 fire crews and aerial water bombers to get the flames under control.
01:02Fire crews remained at the scene for many hours putting out several hot spots.
01:07The Metropolitan Fire Service says the cause of the fire is yet to be determined.