Authorities in South Australia’s Eyre peninsula have been criticised for not warning campers in Gawler Ranges National Park that a burn-off had got out of control.
Firefighters are still monitoring the bushfire has been burning for more several days.
An ecologist who was camping in the national park, Andrew Smith, is upset he was not told on Monday when the fire got out of control.
“They should have at least notified the campers that there was some risk,” he told the ABC. “As it was we were left completely uninformed.”
Country Fire Service regional co-ordinator Justin Woolford says 15,000 hectares havebeen burnt and the fire perimeter now extends about 90 kilometres.
However, the Environment Department has defended its decision to burn off vegetation despite some locals warning of a danger.
The Department says it will conduct a review of the decision to burn off vegetation.
Other fires in outback pastoral regions are now under control, after they were sparked by lightning nearly two weeks ago.
