Authorities plan to declare the whole Northern Territory a fire danger zone from Saturday (09 September) until the end of February 2024, as hotter, dryer, and windier weather projected for most of Central Australia is expected to increase the likelihood of catastrophic bushfires.
It comes as a massive blaze burns uncontrollably over the Barkly region, prompting the closure of a 50-kilometer length of the Barkly Highway, which connects the Northern Territory to Queensland.
Head of operations for Bushfires NT, said the fire, which crossed the highway on Friday (08 September), was burning across 7,200 square kilometers of land and posed a “significant risk” to nearby communities and stations.
