Home lost as fireys battle 'worst fire danger conditions in the NT for two years' today

A HOME has been lost to bushfires as Top End fireys battle  'the worst fire danger conditions experienced in the NT in two years' today

• Fireys issue alert for properties in area of Humpty Doo bushfire after backburning ignites blaze
• Woman injured with metal pole during DV incident rushed to hospital

UPDATE:  Top End fireys are facing the worst fire danger conditions experienced in the NT in two years.

Extreme fire danger warnings have been issued for today and tomorrow as hot dry south-easterly winds with gusts of up to 60km/h make for dangerous conditions in the Top End.

Total fire bans have been put in place for much of the Top End.

Extreme #Fire Danger today for #Darwin & Adelaide River. Severe Fire Danger for Carpenteria, Gregory, Northern Fire Protection Area, Daly South & Katherine Fire Protection Area. Hot, dry & windy conditions are significantly increasing risk over next few days @BushfiresNT @ntpfes pic.twitter.com/UNJFTsl75N

— Bureau of Meteorology, Northern Territory (@BOM_NT) August 26, 2020

EARLIER: A bushfire at Lake Bennett has claimed a home after four different blazes spread resources thin as firefighters faced one of their busiest days of the season on Tuesday.

Bushfires NT assistance director of operations Joshua Fischer said resources had been spread thin across four major fires with one property suffering significant damage.

“In the vicinity of Echidna Rd near Lake Bennett a property was destroyed,” he said.

A firefighter on the scene as a blaze threatens homes and properties in Humpty Doo on Tuesday. Picture: Che Chorley

“We don’t know if it was a permanent home, we believe it may have been a holiday or weekend type property.

“It was a small structure, effectively a shed type structure elevated with one room and a car port area underneath.”

Fire resources were stretched thin to account for a number of other blazes on Tuesday, with no ground crews able to attend a fire on Fowler Rd south west of Batchelor.

Residents were told to activate their bushfire plans, with crews sent to a fire near Letchford Rd, south of Darwin River.

EARLIER: Territorians in and around Heathers Lagoon Rd, Lake Bennett were urged to start protecting their family and property as a fire spread on one or more fronts.

An alert from Bushfires NT said effective containment strategies wre not in place for the entire perimeter. Spot fires were occurring ahead of the fire front.

Smoke affected visibility, and drivers were urged to slow down, turn on headlights, drive safely to the conditions, and be aware of fire crews.

The fire was expected to continue burning until midnight.

Matilda Mayfair took this amazing photo of a bushfire burning on the outskirts of Palmerston on Tuesday night

EARLIER: Authorities have issued a watch and act alert to residents on Doxas Road, Devine Road, Lockerley Crescent and Havlik Road for a grassfire in the area.

Acting Watch Commander Chris Manuel said so far firefighters had saved a number of properties from the blaze.

MORE TOP NT NEWS

Man dies in single vehicle rollover on Victoria Highway

Changes announced for NT COVID-19 quarantine

Man fronts Alice court on string of violence charges

“We’ve had to do asset protection on at least a dozen blocks which have had fire on their property,” he said.

“We haven’t lost any structures, all sheds and houses are protected. We’ve had a couple of abandoned vehicles on properties that were on fire.”

Cmdr Manuel said crews would continue to work through the night to ensure properties were protected.

An aerial firefighting unit battles a bushfire at Humpty Doo on Tuesday. Picture: Che Chorley

“At this stage we’ve got aerial support, Bushfires NT and NT Fires and Rescue working together,” he said.

“We’re trying to prevent the loss of property on Doxas Rd and Lockerley Cres and we’ll try to prevent the spread of fire to Havilik Rd and we’ll have a front end loader which will create a fire break … and we’ll contain the area. We envisage we’ll be here ‘til about midnight.”

The alert advisd the fire was burning on one or more fronts.

“The fire is a grass fire burning in the area of Doxas Road,” the alert read.

Foam from a firefighting plane covers Lockerley Ct in Humpty Doo where firefighters battled to contain a dangerous blaze for the second day in a row on Tuesday. Picture: Che Chorley

“It will potentially impact properties on the eastern side of Doxas Road including Devine Road, Lockerley Court, and Havlik Road.

“Firefighters will be working on the roadside in this area. Heavy smoke and flames may impact the areas. Please avoid this road at this time.”

Bushfires NT made a public call out on social media asking for a person flying a drone to stop otherwise aerial firefighting efforts could not continue.

EARLIER: Fire crews continued to fight fires in the Humpty Doo area into the evening on Monday night.

A shed fire, believed to have been started by a battery charger, started in Lakewood Court on Monday morning.

The shed contained a boat, camper trailer and mower.

Another fire began around 1pm on Barrow Road, Humpty Doo, which was believed to have been started by a ride-on mower.

A four-bay shed was fully destroyed before the fire jumped to a neighbouring residence.

The neighbour’s chook shed, garden shed and trailer were damaged by fire.

PFES Northern Watch Commander Tony Deutrom said “extensive efforts” both on the land and in the air to fight those fires continued into the evening on Monday night.

LIMITED TIME – Discounted NT News subscription: Read everything for $1

Later in the evening, emergency services were called to a grass fire at the Tiwi Islands community of Pirlangimpi at around 5.45pm.

The fire reached the town pool area and damaged the pool shed and the chemicals inside.

None of the fires were being treated as suspicious at this time.

A fire ban is currently in place for the Darwin, Adelaide River, Batchelor and Pine Creek emergency response areas, as well as the Litchfield municipality and Coomalie Shire.

Follow @MsSarahMatthews