Firefighter killed while combating fire in South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula

An experienced volunteer firefighter has died while fighting a scrub blaze in South Australia's Eyre Peninsula. Crew members located the 65-year-old at Pinkawillinie Conservation Park on Sunday afternoon, yet he could not be rescued.

News of the loss has resonated with volunteers and career crews nationwide.

Incident summary

• Who: A 65-year-old Wirrabarra volunteer, remembered by peers as highly experienced.
• Where: Pinkawillinie Conservation Park, Eyre Peninsula, South Australia.
• When: Found by teammates on Sunday afternoon.
• Suspected ignition: A lightning strike on Saturday.
• Status: Under investigation.

Crews were fighting the fire when tragedy struck

Twelve colleagues stood alongside the Wirrabarra volunteer as they worked to extinguish scrub burning inside that remote reserve. Lightning is believed to have sparked those flames a day earlier.

Blaze behaviour in isolated bushland shifts within minutes. Personnel holding a fire line frequently operate kilometres from sealed roads, water supplies and medical backup, which lengthens rescue times when someone collapses or becomes trapped.

SA Country Fire Service responds

Chief Executive Brett Loughlin acknowledged that firefighting carries significant risk, adding that losing one of their own is felt deeply across the country. Investigators continue examining what occurred.

“We are a close-knit community and indeed we are a family,” he said.

Tributes have flowed through volunteer ranks and news outlets throughout the state, echoing earlier incidents such as a firefighter suffering serious injuries while combating a house fire in Bundaberg.

Why extreme conditions demand rigorous planning

Every news report of a death in the line of duty prompts brigades and contractors to revisit their controls. Hot, dry, wind-driven bushland fires create rapid escalation, poor visibility and heat stress — hazards that paperwork alone cannot manage.

Practical measures that support crews on the ground include:

• Documented risk assessments covering escape routes, safety zones and communication protocols.
• Buddy systems with regular head counts, especially in dense scrub or smoke.
• Heat illness monitoring, rotation schedules and hydration checkpoints.
• Pre-shift equipment inspections, including pumps, hoses, PPE and radios.
• Emergency news alerts and weather warnings fed directly into every briefing.

Safe Work Australia guidance reinforces that employers and volunteer organisations must identify hazards, consult workers and review controls after any serious event. Our safe work method statements for fire and emergency crews and industry safety packages for fire and emergency operations help teams document those controls quickly.

Workplace fire preparedness resources

Organisations outside the emergency sector also carry obligations. Ready-to-edit templates such as our Fire Fighting Equipment Procedure, Fire Extinguisher Use Instructions and Fire and Emergency Evacuation Policy give managers a compliant starting point for training, drills and equipment checks.

Read the full news report here.

Related safety news

• Firefighter sustains burns battling a blaze in the South Burnett region
• Man injured while battling a grass fire in South East Queensland

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