SA bushfire survivors praise firefighters

Anxious and tired after days away from home, the survivors of a devastating bushfire in the Adelaide Hills waited for news of the damage to their homes.

Though authorities were gradually opening roads, many at the Golden Grove relief centre had no idea when they would be able to return to their homes.

For some, the damage was already clear.

Michael and Jodie Koczwara's Inglewood home was gutted in the blaze, just hours after they decided it was no longer safe to stay and defend the property.

The couple were initially confident their well-maintained property would escape damage but hours later, their home was in ruins, a shed had exploded and their paddocks were burnt black.

"Seeing what happened to the house, we know now that we would never have been able to take any cover anywhere," Jodie told AAP.

The couple said they planned to rebuild and were hopeful a more modern home would better protect them from future blazes.

Others were more fortunate.

Truck driver Chris Chamberlain, 41, was thanking his lucky stars after learning that firefighters had saved his home.

Chris feared the worst when he heard the blaze was closing in on the Cudlee Creek Caravan Park but a quick response from the CFS saved his caravan and a sea container which stored all of his worldly possessions.

"The fire actually made it right up to the back of my caravan but they've managed to save it all, from what I've heard" he told AAP.

"The CFS, they've done a brilliant job. I was very lucky."

As people played cards, swapped stories and waited to apply for relief funding, the sense of resilience and community spirit was palpable.

There were fewer people at the centre on Monday afternoon than previous days but the amount of food, water and bedding donated by generous well-wishers seemed to have doubled overnight.

And despite their despair, many survivors were quick to heap praise on the firefighters who have toiled for days in awful conditions.