The entirety of Kangaroo Island off South Australia is on notice as a massive bushfire continues to rage, with authorities describing the blaze as "virtually unstoppable".
At least 100,000 hectares of land has been scorched in recent days but the risk remains significant, with emergency crews being ferried from the mainland.
Two people were confirmed dead in a blaze on the Island off the coast of South Australia, bringing the overall nationwide death toll this summer to at least 21.
Holiday parks and visitor centres across Australia's third-largest island have been evacuated.
There are two warnings for the #Kangaroo_Island fire. A Watch and Act (yellow) for the western end and an Advice (blue) for the eastern end of the island. Kingscote and Penneshaw have identified Bushfire Safer Places, and it is safe to stay within these locations. pic.twitter.com/p3rTyGOLvM
— Country Fire Service (@CFSAlerts) January 3, 2020
A terrifying situation yesterday flared up due to extreme winds, with a fire burning at Duncan in the centre of Kangaroo Island breaking containment lines.
Despite some rain overnight and early this morning, fears for a further spread of fires remains.
The Country Fire Service urged people to defer all non-essential travel to Kangaroo Island. Ferry services to Kangaroo Island will operate as scheduled today, but priority will be given to fire vehicles and personnel.
‘A third of Kangaroo Island is covered by nature reserves, habitat for over 60,000 kangaroos, 50,000 koalas, & endangered species like the glossy black cockatoo.’ Ecological disaster is fright. The glossy black cockatoo depends on trees only grown there https://t.co/LwHFijd4wo
— Philippa Bateman (@PhilippaBateman) January 3, 2020
Southern Ocean Lodge operators James and Hayley Baillie told the Advertiser that initial plans were already at hand to rebuild the luxury lodge.
"We are absolutely shocked and saddened by today's events," Mr and Mrs Baillie told the newspaper. "A bushfire incident such as this is really our worst nightmare come true."
Kangaroo Island Mayor Michael Pengilly said part of the island looked like it had been hit by a "nuclear bomb".
"It has been absolutely devastating," Pengilly told the ABC, "... the north coast looks like it has been hit by a nuclear bomb."
"Flinders Chase is going to come out of this badly. You can't stop this thing at the moment, it's bloody impossible."
Fishing trawler off the coast of #kangarooisland captures the apocalyptic vision of smoke clouds from the island #AustraliaOnFire #OSINT https://t.co/ZE8DaIL82o pic.twitter.com/go9h5uL76E
— Dr Richard Matthews 🇦🇺😷👻 (@rhematt) January 3, 2020
Mainland SA was experiencing smoke and dust over the metropolitan Adelaide and other areas on Friday, with the Department of Health expecting the reduced air quality to persist for the next 24 hours.
Chief Public Health Officer Nicola Spurrier said people with chest or heart conditions were urged to stay indoors and follow their personal health management plans.
"We know that exposure to high levels of smoke and dust can aggravate conditions such as asthma, emphysema, bronchitis and other respiratory diseases," Professor Spurrier said.
"We also know that high levels of dust can be associated with an increased risk of cardiac events such as heart attacks."
It comes as Victoria and New South Wales brace for a day of hell, with catastrophic conditions set to hit.