South Australia is bracing for an early and potentially devastating bushfire season, with six regions, including the Mount Lofty Ranges and metropolitan Adelaide, having their fire danger periods brought forward by two weeks.

“We are concerned about the bushfire season across much of South Australia,” said Brett Loughlin, chief of the country’s fire service.

“We will see the first real evidence of this risk this weekend with warm and windy conditions on Saturday.”

Firefighters are not only worried about fighting fires, but also about complacency, as they have burned large quantities of fuel to prepare for a dangerous summer.

The CFS is urging residents to prepare their properties after a survey found many did not have a bushfire action plan.

“The fact is you can’t control when a fire starts, or where, or the conditions of the day it starts,” said Scott Kennedy of Athlestone CFS.

“The only thing you can control is the preparation of your property.”