National Park bushfire closes Larapinta trail until end of March

Larapinta trail will be closed until the end of March after a lightning strike caused a third fire in Tjoritja/ West MacDonnell National Park. Read what areas are closed.

A bushfire continues to burn 130km from Alice Springs in West MacDonnell National Park, with several sections of the park closed until at least Monday. Supplied: Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife.

The Larapinta trail will be closed for the rest of March after a lightning strike initiated a third bushfire in Tjoritja/West MacDonnell National Park.

Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife posted a lightning strike east of Mount Zeil on Sunday afternoon had ignited a third fire in the national park.

“The Alice Valley fire continues to burn west of Ellery Creek, and there is also a fire near the Hugh River, believed to have started from a roadside ignition last week,” it said.

It said all sections of the Larapinta trail would be closed until the end of March.

Ellery Creek Big Hole and Ormiston Gorge access, which was closed from Friday until Monday afternoon, is now open.

In a statement posted to Facebook on Friday afternoon, Bushfires NT said the fire was spreading on one or more fronts, burning north of Chewings Range in the National Park.

Ormiston Gorge and Ellery Big Hole are popular swimming destinations within 90 minutes drive of Alice Springs. Supplied: Tourism NT.

A number of areas were closed within the park, including visitor nodes at Ormiston Gorge and Ellery Big Hole.

Both are popular destinations for swimming near the Red Centre.

Sections six, seven, eight, nine, 10 and 11 of the Larapinta Trail are also closed.

Bushfires NT said smoke may be visible from Larapinta Dr and Namatjira Dr in Alice Springs.