Wilmington Country Fire Service

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Wilmington Country Fire Service

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04/06/2026

A big shout out to 4 of our long-standing volunteers who were acknowledged at the CFS Region 4 Awards Ceremony and Family Fun Day 2026 in Gladstone.
The awards were presented by CFS Chief Officer Brett Loughlin in front of family and friends.
The recipients were:

Geoff Hitch
Linda Hitch
Michael Wigg
Trevor Bornholm

Congratulations to our volunteers and the larger group from Region 4.

22/05/2026

What’s the difference between a service and a repair? Services are conducted annually mostly over winter and before the fire season. There are 4 levels, 1 is basic and 4 the most detailed. Your service provider will also look at any issues that come to light during the service or have been advised during pick up. Repairs on the other hand are issues that come to light all year round, they may be electrical, mechanical or water related. They may be identified during or after an incident, training or after a weekly truck run. Here’s a service, service/repair and repair.

22/04/2026

Well, we've had it a little quiet lately, which is just nice. A hay fire on 31 March saw us support for Melrose but due to a lack of machinery we were released early. There's a couple of pictures. 18 April to a motorcycle accident in Horrocks Pass. Anybody who drives through here regular know what the roads like. Anyhow, a bit of traffic management, help our friends from SAAS with lift and carry the rider out of the culvert chat to SAPOL and we were done. Then just yesterday call for a lost hiker in the Mt Remarkable National Park, based on the grid reference and local knowledge drove straight to the Ring Road and found him by the Battery track turn off in good spirits and very grateful. Dropped him to his car short conversation with SAPOL good to go.

02/02/2026

Today marks 12 months since the Wilmington fire started. Here is some information about the fire.
The Wilmington Fire was reported at 1629 hours on 3 February 2025, in an area known as The Battery within Mount Remarkable
National Park, near the township of Wilmington in South Australia’s Mid North. The fire originated in steep, heavily vegetated terrain, adjacent to agricultural lands and residential properties. The cause
of the fire was determined through a separate investigation, which confirmed ignition by lightning strike.
Ground-based response included local SACFS and NPWS crews, as well as Farm Fire Units (FFUs), which played a significant role in early containment.
The initial response featured a rapid and coordinated aviation deployment, with four bombers and an observation aircraft on
scene within 30 minutes. This expanded to seven Single Engine Air Tanker (SEAT) aircraft in the early phase. The aggressive aerial strategy was instrumental in slowing the fire’s spread during the critical first 24 hours.
Locals would know that 2 of our volunteers were injured that day, both were treated and subsequently have returned in either a full or modified capacity.
The fire was contained on 14 February, scaled down to Level 2 on 17 February, and returned to NPWS control on 24 February.
The incident was formally declared safe on 11 March 2025.
Wilmington statistics for 2024 2025 period include the following responses:
Scrub And Grass Fire 11 1,732 Hrs

24/01/2026

Inc O31 at Baroota this morning Mambray Creeks patch. Flinders BW, Mambray 34, Mt Remarkable QRV, Mt Remarkable BW, Wilmington 34P and 14, Port Germain 44, Stirling 24P and 34, Napperby 34P and Warnertown 44. Plus a number of Farm fire units whose assistance was very much appreciated.

20/01/2026

Wilmington CFS holds training on the Third Monday each month, we try to keep it varied and interesting. Some training is mandatory to maintain skills such as Burnover drills, some is compulsory to retain accreditation such as Chainsaw and BA (Breathing apparatus). Burn over, chainsaw and running grass fire are done pre fire season. Last night we did hose lays, running out 4 lengths 32mm hose from each appliance, then added a breach to run another line. We also introduced water thieves, 25mm lines for blacking out within 15 metres of the main line.

19/01/2026

18 January 2026 - 19:14 - pager goes off - Multiple grass fires on the side of the road. Location Willowie rd, 15 kilometres East of Wilmington. Early advice truck hub failure, first volunteers arriving at station yep tall plumes black smoke visible. Wilmington 14 out the door closely followed by the 34P and Region 4 24P spare. On arrival 8 to 10 farm fire units knocking down edges, pick the blackest smoke do the same, now under some control. In all 17 seperate fires over 6 kilometres on both sides of the road. With assistance from Melrose, Booleroo and Mt Remarkable bulk water blacking out completed by 11:15. Spent another 3 hours this morning ensuring that the area was safe. Unfortunately this was a busy fire so didn’t get much in the way of pictures.

16/01/2026

Always ready to help out Stirling North with a grass fire on the Horrocks Pass Rd just south of the Nectar Brook rd.

04/01/2026

Wilmington 14 and 34P responded to a grass fire adjacent to the Augusta Highway along with crews from Mambray Creek and Stirling North.

15/12/2025

So usually this time of year volunteers who have completed chainsaw operations need to revalidate their knowledge. We have both petrol and electric saws so 2 lots of skills maintenance drills. We started out in daylight and continued under lights because not all trees fall over during the day. One of our members who is preparing to do chainsaw next year got in some early practice under supervision.

Address

38 Horrocks Highway
Wilmington, SA
5485

Website

http://www.cfs.sa.gov.au/

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