Dangerous bushfire a close call for residents: See the amazing pictures here

TWENTY-FIVE firefighting crews — mostly volunteers — have successfully contained a dangerous blaze at Noonamah. SEE the INCREDIBLE PHOTOS HERE

Twenty-five firefighting crews — mostly volunteers — contained a blaze at Noonamah. Picture: Che Chorley

UPDATE: Twenty-five firefighting crews — mostly volunteers — and residents have successfully contained a bushfire threatening a number of homes in Darwin’s rural area.

About 6.30pm Monday, Bushfires NT firefighters were controlling the blaze, which started mid afternoon on the corner of Alverly and Horsnell Rds in Noonamah.

As flames burned trees and shrubbery on properties, residents rushed to protect their homes.

Twenty-five firefighting crews and residents successfully contained a bushfire threatening a number of homes in Darwin’s rural area. Picture: Che Chorley

A property impacted by the blaze at Noonamah. Picture: Che Chorley

Bushfires NT chief fire control officer Andrew Turner thanked volunteer firefighters for their assistance to contain the fire.

“We had 25 crews on the ground and the vast majority of them were volunteers, so a fantastic effort from our volunteers,” he said.

“The risk has gone away for now, we’re just concentrating on widening those containment lines with a view that, while the wind is gone now, it will be back tomorrow morning for a couple of hours.”

Emergency vehicles at the scene of the blaze at Noonamah. Picture: Che Chorley

Twenty-five firefighting crews — mostly volunteers rushed to the scene of the blaze at Noonamah. Picture: Che Chorley

Mr Turner said crews would return to the scene again Tuesday morning, prepared to fight off any reignitions.

“(Tuesday) morning they’ll be out there from day break to make sure it stays within its containment lines,” he said.

“There’s some paperbarks in the middle which makes it more difficult to contain.

“We couldn’t access the middle part but we’ll return there ... to keep an eye on it.”

A water bomber at the scene of the blaze in Noonamah. Picture: Che Chorley

Earlier, water bombers flew over the area dousing flames from the air as fire patrols continued to roll in to assist the response, just a few kilometres away from the recently opened Bushfires NT Headquarters on Townend Rd.

However with operational functions still being set up at the headquarters, the incident was coordinated from the Batchelor base.

“We’re not quite fully operational (at the new base) but it certainly didn’t hurt having it there,” Mr Turner said.

EARLIER: Thirteen firefighting crews and six aircraft are working to contain a fire that is burning through eight properties in Noonamah.

Bushfires NT’s Andrew Turner said at this point in time there had been no loss of life or damage to property.

Water bombers at the scene of the blaze in Noonamah. Picture: Che Chorley

Twenty-five firefighting crews — mostly volunteers — contained a blaze at Noonamah. Picture: Che Chorley

Twenty-five firefighting crews — mostly volunteers — contained a blaze at Noonamah. Picture: Che Chorley

He said the roads remained open and asked drivers to follow the guidance of emergency service workers

It comes as Bushfires NT has issued a ‘watch and act’ alert with a warning that risk to loss of life or property damage is “almost certain” as a fire rips through the Noonamah area.

The alert is for Horsnell Rd and Alverly Rd and asks residents to take action now to protect property and family due to the heightened level of threat.

“Smoke from this fire may affect visibility, active fire may occur close to the roadside, firefighting crews may be working close to the roadside, a bushfire is running or contained under very high to extreme weather conditions,” the statement reads.

“The risk of loss of life or threat to properties is almost certain or has occurred.”

Emergency vehicles at the scene of the blaze in Noonamah. Picture: Che Chorley

Thick smoke from the blaze in Noonamah. Picture: Che Chorley

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The alert asked motorists in the area to slow down, turn on headlights and be mindful of fire crews working in the area.