# Alert SA

> Official South Australian Government hazard alerts and warnings app. (iPhone/iPad app by Government of South Australia – South Australian Fire and Emergency Services Commission.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alert-sa/id1487904728 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Government of South Australia – South Australian Fire and Emergency Services Commission](https://appshunter.io/developer/998243396)
- Category: News, Utilities
- Price: Free
- Rating: 4.90/5 from 12 App Store ratings · 136 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 16.0 · 45 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2019-12-09
- Data updated: 2026-08-30
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alert-sa/id1487904728/reviews.md

## What is Alert SA?

The Alert SA App is the official mobile application of the South Australian Government, designed to provide timely and relevant information on a range of hazards. Stay informed and prepared with alerts and warnings for:
· Fires
· Heatwaves
· Severe weather
· Floods
· Hazardous materials

Additionally, receive important Fire Danger Rating and Total Fire Ban information via the app.

With the Alert SA App, you can create up to 10 watch zones to receive notifications about hazards occurring in areas of interest to you. The app uses your mobile device’s GPS location and requires an internet connection to receive data.

Key Features:

Multi-Hazard Alerts: Receive notifications for various hazards, including fire, flood, severe weather, hazardous materials, and heatwaves.

Customizable Watch Zones: Set up to 10 watch zones to get alerts for specific areas.

Accessibility: Fully supports large text and voiceover features to ensure you receive information in a way that suits your needs.

Cross-Border Notifications: Get fire warnings within 100km of the border of neighbouring states and territories.

Modern User Interface: Enjoy a new, intuitive design with a dedicated onboarding screen and improved user experience.

Please note that during emergencies and extreme weather events, such as bushfires, floods, or severe storms, telecommunications services may be unreliable.

As a result, you may not receive timely information while using the app. The South Australian Fire and Emergency Services Commission (SAFECOM), the South Australian Country Fire Service (CFS), the South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service (MFS), and the South Australian State Emergency Service (SES) recommend that you do not rely on any one single source of information during an emergency.

Download the Alert SA App today and stay informed about public information and warnings in South Australia.

If there’s anything you think we can improve, we’d love to hear from you at AlertSA@eso.sa.gov.au

## Key features

- Multi-hazard alerts
- Customizable watch zones
- Fire danger ratings
- Total fire ban information
- Cross-border notifications
- Accessibility features

## What do users think of Alert SA?

Overall sentiment: mixed

**Pros**

- 🗺️ Customizable watch zones for personalized alerts
- 📍 Real-time incident mapping and location visibility
- 🔔 Reliable notifications for critical emergencies
- 👍 User-friendly interface and easy navigation
- 💾 Comprehensive incident information and details
- 🌙 Dark mode support
- 📱 Works seamlessly on multiple devices
- 🚨 Essential safety tool for fire-prone areas
- ⚡ Quick access to fire danger ratings
- 🎯 Ability to monitor multiple locations simultaneously

**Cons**

- 🔊 Notification sound is intrusive and cannot be customized
- 📢 Alert fatigue from excessive non-critical notifications
- 🐛 Notifications fail to arrive despite enabled settings
- ❌ Frozen app after recent updates (iOS)
- 📍 Insufficient location details in notifications (missing suburb/street address)
- ⚠️ Minimum 5km watch zone too large for metro areas
- 🔄 Completed incidents remain on map causing clutter
- 🌍 Shows alerts for entire state instead of just watch zones
- 📱 Landscape mode not supported on tablets
- ⏱️ Delayed notifications arriving after incidents are resolved
- 🎯 Poor alert filtering and prioritization system
- 🔧 Inconsistent performance across iOS versions

**Commonly reported bugs**

- App freezes on welcome screen after update (version 3.3.0+)
- Fire hazard rating button causes app crash
- Notifications not received despite enabled settings and watch zones configured
- Push notifications fail after iPhone OS updates
- App stuck in portrait mode on iPad in landscape orientation
- Notifications arrive days late or not at all
- Incidents outside watch zones still trigger alerts
- No push notification buttons visible on some iPhone models
- App becomes unresponsive during high-incident periods
- Inconsistent notification delivery across devices

**Most requested features**

- Customizable notification sounds with multiple options
- Ability to filter alert types (fires only vs. all incidents)
- Watch zones smaller than 5km for suburban areas
- Wind direction and speed information for fire events
- Dynamic watch zones that adjust based on fire danger levels
- Landscape mode support for iPad/tablets
- Route-based alert zones instead of radius-only
- Evacuation point locations with facility details (pet-friendly, horse-friendly)
- Different zone sizes for different hazard types
- North indicator on map
- Road closure information integrated into app
- Burned area visualization (black zones for completed fires)
- Toggle to hide completed incidents
- Ability to sort incidents by most recent first
- Optional heatwave and non-critical alerts
- Street address in tree-down notifications

## Recent user reviews (10 of 136)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alert-sa/id1487904728/reviews.md

### 2/5 — Fire incidents

*2026-06-21*

Would it be possible to classify building fires differently from bushfires. We need to know about the threat from bushfires but building fires (unless you live next door) are usually a wasted notification. I know several people who have cancelled your app because they are frustrated by the regular building fire notifications. I plan to do the same. Shame because other features of the app are great.

### 4/5 — Well done!

*2026-06-11*

Really great app. Lets us know about fires, trees down and severe weather etc. We have two watch zones set up and they have been really helpful if we’ve been away. Can get family to check house etc. Would like to have a bit of severe weather info like hail in affected areas after my granddaughter arrived home to find her house damaged severely by sudden huge hailstones in her watch 
area. A warning would’ve prepared the family a bit. Thanks for a great app.

### 2/5 — Jim

*2026-05-31, version 3.4.1*

It is beyond belief that either through technical limitations or legislative constraints that neither CFS nor SES cannot immediately identify the actual street in which an incident, tree down. Reducing the value of the information. Jim

### 5/5 — Good

*2026-05-10, version 3.4.0*

Stuff

### 5/5 — Informative

*2026-05-09, version 3.4.0*

It’s good to know what is happening

### 4/5 — Rubbish Tone

*2026-05-05, version 3.4.0*

The new tone is so annoying, it overrides the notification sound set on the phone. It would be good to remove this.

I find the app already good enough as it is, but I really don’t like the new sound.

### 1/5 — The app is a shadow of its former self

*2026-04-09, version 3.4.0*

There was an update some time ago. Before the update a typical list would show 40 to 50 incidents around the State. Since the update there may be a maximum of 10, often only 2 or 3. How is this possible?

### 1/5 — …

*2026-03-29, version 3.4.0*

Doesn’t seem to cover much

### 5/5 — Happy customer

*2026-03-26, version 3.4.0*

Very pleased with prompt alert.  Very reassuring.  Thanks

### 3/5 — New Sound is Terrible!

*2026-03-19, version 3.4.0*

Change the sound!!!!!! It sounds like a dating app not an emergency app! Completely stupid sound…

## Frequently asked questions about Alert SA

### What kind of alerts does the Alert SA app provide?

The Alert SA app provides timely and relevant information on a range of hazards. This includes alerts and warnings for fires, heatwaves, severe weather, floods, and hazardous materials. It also delivers important Fire Danger Rating and Total Fire Ban information.

### Can I customize the alerts I receive?

Yes, you can customize the alerts by creating up to 10 watch zones. This allows you to receive notifications specifically for hazards occurring in areas of interest to you, ensuring you get the most relevant information.

### Is the Alert SA app free to download and use?

Yes, the Alert SA app is the official mobile application of the South Australian Government and is available for free. There are no in-app purchases or advertisements mentioned.

### What are the system requirements for the Alert SA app?

The app uses your mobile device’s GPS location and requires an internet connection to receive data. It also fully supports large text and voiceover features for accessibility.

### What should I do if I don't receive alerts during an emergency?

During emergencies and extreme weather events, telecommunications services may be unreliable, potentially affecting timely information delivery. The app's developers recommend not relying on any single source of information during an emergency and suggest checking other official channels.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 3.6.0 — 2026-07-29

Key new features include:
• Choose a Long, Short, or Default alert sound.
• Get Notifications for Sandbag and Emergency Relief Centre or Recovery Centre Locations.
• Show or hide Sandbag and Emergency Relief Centre or Recovery Centre Locations on the map.
• UI improvements to enhance user experience.

### 3.4.1 — 2026-05-26

We’ve made some behind-the-scenes improvements to help the app run more smoothly.

### 3.4.0 — 2026-02-12

We've improved Alert SA!
You asked, we delivered!
Here are the latest features:
· Notifications: New distinct sound
· Watch Zone: Easier Watch Zone set-up
· Watch Zone Radius: Set smaller radius (1km) for accurate alerts
· Incidents: Completed incidents hidden from view on Map and List screens, with option to turn on

### 3.3.2 — 2025-10-30

We’ve made some behind-the-scenes improvements to make the app run smoother.

### 3.3.1 — 2025-05-21

We’ve made some behind-the-scenes improvements to make the app run smoother.

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-30.*