Avenue Range farmer Hugh Bainger describes entering bunker to escape Lucindale fire’s flames

When an out-of-control bushfire took off in South Australia’s south-east on Monday afternoon, farmer Hugh Bainger decided to stay and protect his property.

But as the fire rapidly travelled from Blackford towards Mr Bainger’s property at Avenue Range, west of Lucindale, he knew there was no escaping it.

“I realised there was no chance of it not coming to the homestead,” he said.

Using a garden hose to extinguish some vines that had caught alight on his house, Mr Bainger soon realised he could no…