Emergency warning downgraded as crews bring Top End blaze under control

Northern Territory authorities have downgraded an emergency warning for a fire at Stockwell Road in Blackmore, west of Berry Springs, describing it as a "decreasing threat".

Bushfires NT said structures had been impacted as the fire moved towards Mieland Road and Tuey Close earlier today, and residents in the area were advised to enact their bushfire survival plan.

"There is a reduced level of threat, you can resume normal activities," Bushfires NT said after 7pm on Wednesday.

Despite the earlier watch and act being downgraded to advice, authorities have warned smoke may impact visibility and "active fire may occur close to the roadside".

A separate watch and act, previously in place for a fast-moving fire at Uralla Road in Katherine East, was also downgraded earlier this afternoon.

A 24-hour fire ban period for the Top End has been extended into tomorrow.

Structures reportedly 'engulfed'

Earlier this afternoon, Acting Chief Fire Control Officer Nathaniel Stanford told ABC Radio Darwin properties along Mieland Road were under threat.

He said "tactical back burns" had been used to get the spot fires under control, but reports from the fireground indicated structures in the area had been "impacted and engulfed".

"We haven't confirmed all the details on that yet," he said earlier this afternoon.

"At the moment, we're really trying to prevent that fire impacting any further structures."

Bushfires NT said crews would "remain on-site into the evening for mop-up and patrol purposes".

"Residual smoke is expected overnight and tomorrow morning — if you see active fire, please call Triple Zero (000)," the 7:15pm update said.

Earlier, Mr Stanford said observations on the ground appeared to confirm the fire had crossed to the western side of Mieland Road, and spot fires had approached "a number of homes".

"We are still getting numerous spot fires travelling ahead of this fire front and they are taking on the western side of Mieland Road," he said this afternoon.

"We're seeing flames in excess of 5 metres high and the spotting ahead, which is causing this fire to move incredibly fast.

"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."

Mr Stanford said it remained unclear whether the structures already impacted were homes or other buildings, with the fire's perimeter growing in excess of 10 kilometres "quite rapidly".

"When conditions allow, we will be undertaking further back-burning which will increase that to try and contain this fire, but at the moment our main focus is on the protection of the properties along Mieland Road and Tuey Close," he said earlier this afternoon.

Fire front was 'just huge'

Earlier, Blackmore resident Cindy — who lives on Stockwell Road — said the fire had been "probably about three properties away" from her.

"This is our first year living here … I think, where the fire started, the house on that block is just gone," she told ABC Radio Darwin this afternoon.

"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.

"We've got a fire engine, we've got volunteer [firefighters], we've got planes dropping water, so it's all happening."

Cindy said neighbours and locals volunteers "on buggies" had supported fire-fighting efforts by carrying water over to the blaze.

"We have water tanks so if it was to come this [direction] we don't have much water to save ourselves, so hopefully it doesn't turn," she said.

Mieland Road resident Danielle Sbona said she rushed home this afternoon to find "fire all around our house and my horse paddock".

"Thank God we live in a really good community, we had a lot of neighbours out there wetting down the place," she said.

"But it was just engulfed in flames pretty much, we're very lucky we didn't lose anything."

Ms Sbona said pre-prepared fire breaks were "probably one of the only things that saved us".

"So thankfully, although it came right up to our fences, it didn't come through anything, we didn't have any grass or anything for it to catch," she said.

"We've got a couple of animals out here, so more concerned about the animals to be quite honest.

"I raced down to Darwin River supermarket just to grab more fuel for the water pumps and stuff, and to be quite honest, I've got to go back and pay for it.

"They said: 'You know, just take it and go back' and pay for it [later]."