People not ready for SA bushfire: report

A report has found that many people were not emotionally prepared for last year's devastating Adelaide Hills bushfire.

Many people affected by the Sampson Flat bushfire in the Adelaide Hills last year were not emotionally prepared to respond to the threat it posed and the damage it caused, a report has found.

Prepared for the Country Fire Service, the report found a majority of people in the fire zone reported being physically prepared when the fire broke out in January and had readied their property and possessions.

But it said people were much less likely to have been ready to deal with the short-term effects of anxiety and fear, and the longer-term impacts of sadness and anger.

The bushfire raged over three days and destroyed 24 homes and about 150 other buildings as it burnt through more than 12,000 hectares of scrub.

The report found that the strong emotions experienced by many people as the fire approached were a factor in some changing their plans at the last minute.

"As the fire approached and the fear increased some people left although they had planned to stay and defend, but then later attempted to return to their properties," the report said.

The report also found that people living along the urban fringe of the fire zone were much less likely to be concerned about bushfires and were less likely to seek out information or have a bushfire action plan.

It recommended a bushfire awareness program be directed specifically at such residents.

It also suggested more be done to share the stories of those people who had experienced bushfires to help all people be emotionally ready.

Responding to the report, CFS chief officer Greg Nettleton said the organisation would look to include emotional preparations in future community engagement activities.

"We need to understand how our communities react to a bushfire event and these lessons will shape the future of the CFS's ongoing engagement with our communities, before, during and after bushfire."

Mr Nettleton said the report also highlighted how physically well prepared the Adelaide Hills community was before the blaze and residents were to be congratulated for taking such positive action.