Northern Territory fire crews have been working to contain a bushfire burning at Lake Bennett and total fire bans are in place in parts of the Top End.
The fire on Marrakai Road, about 85km south of Darwin, was upgraded to a watch and act alert yesterday afternoon.
Bushfires NT Chief Fire Control Officer Andrew Turner said fire crews and volunteers had worked through the night to contain the blaze.
‘It’s been very difficult to bring under control. It’s still considered a going fire,’ he told ABC Radio Darwin. ‘There’s still a fair a bit of work getting done at the moment to ensure that it’s all behind containment lines. As the winds rise and the dryness creeps into the day then there’ll be a fair bit of effort again put into maintaining those containment lines. It’s still quite a touchy situation.’
Across the Northern Territory, Mr Turner said potentially incendiary conditions forecast today (16 August) had emergency services on high alert.
Across the weekend, fire crews also attended fires at Lookout Station and Windows Wetlands, both on the Arnhem Highway, and at Darwin River on Boundary Road.
For more information, please visit: www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-16/bushfires-nt-lake-bennett-watch-and-act-alert/100379430