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The blaze, which erupted on Sunday, continued its relentless path unchecked through the night, showing no signs of abating.
Cass and Ash Edwards found themselves face-to-face with the fire’s untamed power as they struggled to protect their secluded home nestled within the thick bushland. Despite their valiant efforts, the couple had no choice but to abandon their fight to ensure their own survival.
“After nearly two-and-a-half days of trying to defend their property, operating on virtually no sleep, we believe the fire swept through yesterday afternoon, forcing them to make a last-minute evacuation,” explained Natasha Hunt, Cass’s sister.
Later today, the couple returned to their once cherished abode, now reduced to ruins, confronting the harsh aftermath of the fire’s wrath.
They returned late today to witness the ruins.
The blaze has already destroyed at least three structures and came dangerously close to others.
As strong and erratic winds pushed the blaze closer towards Cape Jervis, flames came right up to Rhys Jones’ doorstep.
“I looked up here and I saw the flames engulfing my property,” Jones told 9News.
“We had about seven water drops from helicopters and that made a major difference and was instrumental in saving the property.”
Some became trapped on the tip of the peninsula, as roads were blocked off, deemed too dangerous to travel.
“It’s hard when everyone’s so frantic you know and you can’t get out,” Leon Cooper, who works at the local caravan park, told 9News.
“You know it’s – the only place to go is down to the water.”
Residents evacuated from the small town of Silverton are now facing a nervous wait as they remain cut off from their properties.
“Hopefully in the next 24 hours we’ll have a chance to get down and actually inspect the place,” resident Greg Mackie told 9News.
About 300 firefighters and a fleet of aircraft have been battling the fire but the flames are still raging in bushland adjacent to the Deep Creek Conservation Park, which overlooks Kangaroo Island, where ferry services were impacted this week before partially re-opening today.
Steep terrain and dense vegetation is making the firefight a massive challenge, along with shifting winds and summer elements.
“We have seen due to the extraordinary dry conditions the fire flare up overnight when we’d usually expect it to go to ground,” Brenton Hastie from the SA Country Fire Service (CFS) said.
“So the conditions remain challenging through day and night and the community needs to be aware.”
Crews are flying in from Victoria and New South Wales to join a battle expected to last for days.
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