South Australia's Country Fire Service has declared Thursday Bushfire Resilience Day to remember and honour lives lost to bushfires in the state and acknowledge the strength and resilience of those who survived.
The day coincides with the 40th anniversary of the devastating Ash Wednesday bushfires in the Adelaide Hills and the state's southeast that claimed 28 lives and destroyed 383 homes.
CFS Chief Officer Brett Loughlin said a special service would recognise the impact bushfires have had and would continue to have on all South Australians.
"Today is a pivotal moment in CFS history, as we pause to reflect on the impact bushfires have had on our community and how far we, as state and as an agency, have come following these devastating events," Mr Loughlin said.
"CFS volunteers are the backbone of our agency and ensuring their safety and wellbeing will always be of the upmost importance, so they are prepared to overcome adversity and can emerge stronger, better prepared, and ready for the next challenges in protecting their community."
Mr Loughlin said since Ash Wednesday, the CFS has made significant changes and improvements with state-of-the-art equipment, a highly trained and professional volunteer base and safe systems of work.
CFS Para Group Officer Rob Styling said his experience in responding to the Ash Wednesday fires stood in stark contrast to what firefighters experienced on a fireground today.
"There are now significant safety systems on trucks, our protective clothing is state of the art, we have aerial resources that can assist in understanding where the fires are going and what the fire behaviour is," he said.
"We can be far more strategic in fighting fires as opposed to defend and chase as we did on Ash Wednesday."
Rachel Ireland, whose family lost their home to a bushfire in 2015, said the journey to rebuild was one of the most taxing and exhausting things she had ever attempted.
"So many things needed my attention all at once. However, as hard as the journey was, I have so much to be grateful for," Ms Ireland said.
"It has helped me understand more about who I am as a person, to take less for granted, deeper wisdom, understanding, and empathy.
"It grew me in ways I had never known I could have."
