Wandilo CFS Brigade

07/04/2026

Tuesday night is Community Cashback night! When $5 from every full-sized schnitzel sold Tuesday Night 14th April, will go to the amazing Wandilo CFS Brigade!😊

Dinner starts at 5.00pm.

Bookings essential, please call us on 8726 7700 or book your table online here: www.southeasternhotel.com.au

16/02/2026

Wandilo brigade has been busy the last few weeks with crews attending a variety of incidents, including a vehicle fire, caravan fire, fire alarm, grassfire and 4 of our members travelling to Deep Creek (Fleurieu peninsula) to assist with a fire that burnt inexcess of 4,500ha.

If you or anyone you know has considered lending a hand, reach out to us. We have a large catchment area covering parts of Mt Gambier, Wandilo, Suttontown and surrounds. Any time you can spare is valuable to us.

26/01/2026

TOTAL FIRE BANS have been declared for tomorrow Tuesday 27 January 2026 for the following Fire Ban Districts:

• Eastern Eyre Peninsula - Extreme
• Mid North - Extreme
• Mount Lofty Ranges - Extreme
• Yorke Peninsula - Extreme
• Kangaroo Island - Extreme
• Riverland - Extreme
• Murraylands - Extreme
• Upper South East - Extreme
• Lower South East - Extreme

Where Total Fire Bans have been declared, very hazardous fire weather conditions are predicted.
The Total Fire Ban will apply for 24 hours from midnight tonight to midnight tomorrow.

The CFS recommends that you implement your Bushfire Survival Plan.

Fire Danger Ratings
Where fire ban districts have a forecast fire danger rating of Extreme, only well prepared, well constructed and actively defended houses are likely to offer safety during a fire.

What should you do
• If you don't have a plan to ensure your survival, leaving early before a fire starts is your safest option.
• In making your plan, you should be aware that in high fire danger conditions, essential services including mains-fed electricity and water supply may not be available due to the prevailing weather conditions.
• Landowners are asked to adhere to local harvest codes of practice which are available from your local council.
• Landowners are also asked to ensure that any burn-off activities conducted today are fully extinguished before midnight tonight.
• Agencies are advised to activate their Total Fire Ban procedures in preparation for these predicted fire weather conditions

Stay informed
• CFS website cfs.sa.gov.au
• Information Hotline 1800 362 361
• For hearing or speech impaired users, phone 1300 555 727 then ask for 1800 362 361
• For teletype service TTY 133 677 then ask for 1800 362 361
• CFS on Facebook or X
• Alert SA Mobile App
• On local ABC radio, FIVEaa, or one of our other Emergency Broadcast Partners

For emergencies call Triple Zero (000).

25/01/2026

12/01/2026

𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: 𝗣𝗢𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗜𝗡𝗩𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗚𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗦𝗨𝗦𝗣𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗢𝗨𝗦 𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗘 𝗜𝗡 𝗣𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗦 𝗔𝗧 𝗪𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗟𝗢

Police are investigating a suspicious fire at Wandilo yesterday morning.

At 10:18am on Sunday January 11th, crews were called to the pine forest on Airport Road across from the entrance of the Mount Gambier Airport, after a member of the public discovered an extinguished fire that was still smouldering.

Police suspect the fire was deliberately lit.

While the fire was small, it was located near dumped household items and within a forested area, with police warning that the fire had the potential to spread and cause significant damage.

Anyone who may have information or witnessed suspicious activity in the area at the time to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or report online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au

10/01/2026

Friday brought a busy day for the Wandilo brigade and other brigades from the Mount Gambier group.

A lightning band that moved through north of us in the early hours had Wandilo and Yahl responding to a 3am call for assistance at Coles near Lucindale where a large fire was burning in the slash and grass in and around a harvested Blue gum plantation. With quick work by machinery and ground crews, this fire was contained and left for forestry owners and local crews to mop up and monitor by 9am.

At 230pm our assistance was requested again. This time Wandilo formed part of a strike team of 6 trucks heading for the Natimuk fire burning west of Horsham in Victoria. Unfortunately this fire burnt with great speed and intensity and impacted many homes in and around the towns of Natimuk and Quantong.

Our crews are now back home getting some well earned rest and our thoughts are with our fellow firefighters in Victoria who will be fighting many major fires in their state for days or weeks to come.

30/12/2025

29/12/2025

The business end of the LSE Blackhawk (HLTK 515) snorkel ….. and just one of many resources that get dispatched by the SACFS in the event of a rural fire.

In discussions over the Xmas break it has become apparent just how many people are simply not aware of just how comprehensive the SACFS incident response is during the Fire Danger Season.

Within minutes, once an incident is reported, a minimum of four (closest) CFS appliances to the incident are dispatched to the scene. Hundreds of volunteers make themselves available during the Xmas break for these very moments. A Command Car usually follows.

If the incident falls within a designated Primary Response Zone for aircraft, at the same time as the CFS appliances are dispatched, the closest aircraft package is sent.

In the case of the LSEPRZ, the aircraft package includes two Squirrel helicopters (Air Attack & Air Observer aircraft), three Air-Tractor AT802 Fire Bombing aircraft & a Blackhawk UH-60 Helitak aircraft.

On arrival, the person in charge of the ground resources speaks with the person in charge of the air resources & they coordinate a response for the most effective fire fight.

With fuel levels as high as they are this season, we may experience unpredictable & very hot fire behaviour, making the role of both air & ground challenging.

Spare a thought for our Brigade members in the heat of the day in their Personal Protective Clothing (PPC) – fighting fires, filling fire bombers & serving their communities.

Stay Safe in this Xmas/New Year period & we will see you in 2026.

17/12/2025

🔥 Extreme Fire Danger Forecast – Stay Alert 🔥

SA Country Fire Service volunteers will be on high alert tomorrow, with Extreme fire danger forecast for seven districts due to very hot, dry and windy conditions.

We are urging the community not to be complacent and to avoid high-risk activities such as harvesting, burn-offs, campfires and using machinery or power tools.

Temperatures are expected to reach the high 30s to low 40s across much of the state, with low humidity and possible dry thunderstorms in northern areas increasing the risk of fires starting.

With travel increasing over the festive season, check the Fire Danger Ratings for your area and any areas that you plan to travel through, stay alert, and review your bushfire survival plans.

Fire conditions can change quickly—keep up to date with current warnings and incidents and follow advice from emergency services.

For more information and to understand what you can and can't do, visit: cfs.sa.gov.au

08/10/2025

A timely reminder to dispose of Lithium batteries correctly.
"B-Cycle" battery drop-off points are located at many supermarkets and shopping centres, including ALDI, Coles and Woolworths in Mount Gambier.

𝗟𝗢𝗔𝗗 𝗢𝗙 𝗥𝗨𝗕𝗕𝗜𝗦𝗛 𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗖𝗘𝗗 𝗧𝗢 𝗕𝗘 𝗗𝗨𝗠𝗣𝗘𝗗 𝗔𝗙𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗘 𝗜𝗡 𝗥𝗨𝗕𝗕𝗜𝗦𝗛 𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗖𝗞

A rubbish truck was forced to dump a load of burning rubbish in a reserve in Mount Gambier this morning after it caught fire.

Emergency services were called to Stiles Street at 7:53am after reports of a fire, with flames that could be seen from streets away.

There has been a rise in rubbish truck fires across the country, with it estimated that more than 10,000 fires occur across waste and recycling services each year - largely caused by lithium-ion batteries that are being incorrectly disposed of.

The use of these batteries in items like vapes, e-scooters and power tools has lead to fires occurring more regularly, with MFS callouts for battery-related fires in South Australia increasing nearly tenfold in the last five years.

"B-Cycle" battery drop-off points are located at many supermarkets and shopping centres, including ALDI, Coles and Woolworths in Mount Gambier.