Authorities have been going door-to-door in parts of the town of Tennant Creek warning residents that a major bushfire could spread to the town amid extreme fire conditions.
abc.net.au/news/barkly-bushfire-nt-tennant-creek-watch-and-act-prepare/102838970Authorities have been going door-to-door in parts of Tennant Creek, warning residents that a major bushfire could spread to the town amid extreme fire conditions.Tennant Creek residents are being warned to prepare as a bushfire moves towards the outback town
Deputy Chief Fire Officer Josh Fischer said winds gusting up to 50 kilometres per hour and heavy fuel loads were causing "intense fire behaviour", with flames reaching heights of more than 15 metres. "We've got high winds again this morning … so we do expect, based on what we've witnessed to date, that that fire does have the high potential to continue to spread," he said.He said firefighters believed the blaze was currently burning near the Gosse River area.
Mr Fischer said NT Police officers had doorknocked residents on the southern and eastern sides of Tennant Creek on Sunday evening to give them an early warning the fire could impact their properties. Mr Fischer said large fires were not uncommon in the NT, but it was unusual to see a fire of this ferocity at this time of year.Emergency services also responded yesterday to a "fast-moving fire" at Rusty Camp, south-east of Tennant Creek.