Mount Lofty | 16 Feb 2012
Both past and present volunteer firefighters will take part in a memorial service today to mark the anniversary of the catastrophic 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfires and to reflect on those who lost their lives in the aftermath.
CFS Regional Commander Chris Martin has extended an invitation for others to join the service which will take place at the Mount Lofty Tower.
“The service will be held this afternoon to coincide with the same time that a fire swept through the summit 29 years ago and resulted in the deaths of 12 volunteer firefighters,” Mr Martin said.
“Although this service has a specific focus, the wider ramifications of Ash Wednesday will not be lost with the bushfires that swept through many areas of south-eastern Australia that saw an estimated 130,000 firefighters involved in battling them across three states,” he said.
The memorial service will be hosted by the Mount Lofty Tower Brigade on behalf of the CFS.
“I’m hoping that among those who will join us will be people who may have been too young to remember Ash Wednesday or were born after the event,” he said. “Perhaps they will help to preserve the historical significance of this event for the benefit of future generations.”
The service will begin at 4pm and conducted by the Reverend Matt Curnow from the Uniting Church at Summertown.
