South Australian bushfire downgraded

The CFS has downgraded a fire, which has been active for three weeks, burning in the Southern Flinders Ranges in South Australia.

A supplied image shows the southern edge of the Bangor fire. Six patients have been evacuated from a South Australian hospital and there are unconfirmed reports of property losses (AAP / SA CFS)

A bushfire burning in the Southern Flinders Ranges in South Australia has been downgraded to a watch and act alert.

The Bangor blaze, which has been burning for more than three weeks, has burnt more than 10,000 hectares since Saturday.

The Country Fire Service (CFS) issued an emergency warning for residents near the uncontrolled blaze on Monday afternoon.

However, the alert was downgraded at 8pm to watch and act alert level.

The CFS advises the fire still may pose a threat to safety and is travelling northeast towards Laura, Stone Hut and Wirrabara.

Residents are advised to check and follow their bushfire survival plan.

CFS incident controller Scott Turner said crews were working to implement control lines and strengthen fire breaks in the area.

He told ABC radio a 14-kilometre front was burning out of control on the eastern flank of the fire early Monday afternoon.

"That fire is burning in very, very steep terrain with exceptionally high fuel loads that haven't seen a fire for in excess of 60 years," Mr Turner said.

Crews were working around the Wirrabara Forest area, but the terrain was very steep and heavily wooded.