Parts of South Australia have been warned to prepare for catastrophic fires tomorrow as the state is sweltered by an early summer heat surge, with neighboring areas of Victoria also on alert high.

From midnight tonight, a “large part” of South Africa will be under a total fire ban, as temperatures are expected to reach between 30C and 30C.

The Country Fire Service (CFS) has issued a catastrophic fire warning for the Eastern Eyre and Yorke Peninsula areas.

An extreme fire classification has also been declared for the West Coast, Lower Eyre Peninsula, Flinders, Mid North, Mount Lofty Ranges, Riverland, Murraylands and Upper South East.

Extreme fire danger ratings have been issued for the Mallee and Wimmera districts of Victoria.

CFS chief Brett Loughlin said SA’s emergency services were preparing for a “very difficult” day.

“The message to South Australians is clear: take the weather (Saturday) seriously,” Mr Loughlin said.

Mr Loughlin said firefighters had been placed on high alert and incident management teams as well as regional and state command centers had been activated.

“In addition, we are bringing in our large national air tanker to provide us with the strategic resource that we can use.”

“Hot, dry and windy” conditions

The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting a high of 40 degrees Celsius in Whyalla and 37C in Adelaide.

Meteorologist Jonathan Fischer said it was the highest fire danger of the spring so far.

North to northwest winds are expected to strengthen to between 30 and 50 kilometers per hour and relative humidity is expected to drop below 10 percent in some areas, creating a dry atmosphere increasing the risk of fire.

But Mr Fischer said a “change in gusts” was expected from midday in the west of the Lower Eyre Peninsula, gradually sweeping across the state and bringing relief.

“We’ll see this move eastwards, reaching central areas around Adelaide and the Mount Lofty Ranges in the late afternoon and early evening around 5pm,” Mr Fischer said.

“A few scattered showers and thunderstorms are forecast well behind the change.

“These storms could produce notable precipitation.”

Mr Fischer said reduced rainfall during the winter months had led to drying of soils and vegetation in southern regions.

CSA warns against “high risk” activities

The CFS urged residents across South Australia to avoid the type of “high-risk” activities that would further increase the likelihood of fires.

Earlier this month, two men were charged over an out-of-control bushfire in Penfield believed to have been started by an angle grinder.

Three people were taken to hospital for smoke inhalation and 33 hectares were destroyed.

“It created a lot of anxiety (and) urgency, and many firefighters and other emergency personnel had to risk their safety to get the situation under control,” Mr. Loughlin said.

“There’s nothing you think you need to do tomorrow that can’t wait until conditions have eased and moderated.”