Breaking: Emergency warning for fire at Blackmore, west of Berry Springs

Posted Wed 16 Sep 2026 at 3:51pmWed 16 Sep 2026 at 3:51pm, updated Wed 16 Sep 2026 at 4:05pmWed 16 Sep 2026 at 4:05pmAuthorities are working to contain a bushfire at Blackmore, an hour south of Darwin. (ABC News: Hamish Harty)Authorities have issued an emergency warning for a fire at Stockwell Road in Blackmore, west of Berry Springs, advising anyone who is unprepared to leave now.Bushfires NT said structures have been impacted as the fire moves towards Mieland Road and Tuey Close, with residents in the area advised to enact their bushfire survival plan immediately.A watch and act is also in place for a fast-moving fire at Uralla Road in Katherine East, with residents there urged to start taking action now to protect themselves and their property.That fire is burning towards the Victoria Highway between the rail corridor and Uralla Road, and residents south of Bicentennial Drive are encouraged to enact their bushfire survival plan.A 24-hour fire ban period for the Top End has also been extended into tomorrow.Structures reportedly 'engulfed'Acting Chief Fire Control Officer Nathaniel Stanford told ABC Radio Darwin properties along Mieland Road were under threat."Crews are currently working to install some tactical back burns to try and prevent it getting there, but I am seeing spot fires occurring ahead of the front on our mapping system at the moment," he said.Mr Stanford said reports were coming from the fireground of structures being "impacted and engulfed"."We haven't confirmed all the details on that yet," he said."At the moment, we're really trying to prevent that fire impacting any further structures.""If residents are unprepared for a fire coming towards their properties, the best advice is to leave now.Bushfires NT has received unconfirmed reports of structures being "impacted and engulfed". (Facebook: Bushfires NT)"If your plan is to stay and defend your property, ensure that you are in your bushfire survival plan and that you are taking all steps to protect yourself and your property from this."Mr Stanford said the fire was expected to continue to spread to the north-west over the next hour before a change in wind direction at about 5pm."That could come earlier or later and that will change the direction of this fire and start taking it towards other areas," he said."We will keep all of our messaging up to date as to the likely spread of this fire so that community members can be aware."Firefront 'just huge'Blackmore resident Cindy, who lives on Stockwell Road, said the fire was "probably about three properties away" from her."It's just huge, I could hear things blowing up because they had some old cars on their properties, so I think they're blowing up as the fire goes through," she told ABC Radio Darwin this afternoon."We've got a fire engine, we've got volunteer [firefighters], we've got planes dropping water, so it's all happening."