Prescribed burning

Burning to reduce fuel loads is a major component of the bushfire mitigation program across the Northern Territory (NT).

This technique is highly effective in establishing areas of low or no fuel that contain the spread of bushfires and protects:

• lives
• property
• environment.

Prescribed burning is carried out from the air and on the ground.

Planned burns

The map below shows where and when fires and planned burns are happening near you.

Planned burns run by Bushfires NT will show as a purple polygon icon.

Aerial burning

Controlled burning from the air is carried-out every year in many regions of the NT. It reduces the number of and intensity of bushfires.

Aerial burning helps to reduce fuel loads, including those created by exotic grasses like mission and gamba grass.

These grasses dry-off, fuelling intense and destructive bushfires.

You must get a permit to burn before you start any aerial burning operations, in any area at any time of the year.

Fuel reduction burning

Fuel reduction burning is also carried out across the NT every year to:

• reduce fuel loads
• create strategic barriers against the spread of bushfires.

Fire management projects

Fire management projects, in particular savanna burning, provide unique opportunities for employment and economic development on Aboriginal land.

Read about the North Australia savanna fire forum and Aboriginal carbon industry strategy on the Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security.

Wildlife and weed management on roads

Weeds found on roadside verges are a growing threat to fire safety. Read more about wildfire and weed management on roads.

It is important for landholders to understand and manage weeds on their properties to minimise the threat of bushfire.

Read about factors that can cause bushfire risk.