Overview of the 2023 Northern Territory bushfire season
The 2023 bushfire season in the Northern Territory was one of the largest and most serious on record. The most significant event was the Barkly Fire Complex, a large bushfire that burned for several weeks across the Barkly region between late August and October 2023.
The Barkly Fire Complex formed in early September when two large fires joined together. This created a fast‑moving fire that burned across pastoral land, Aboriginal Land Trusts, conservation areas and major transport routes. At its peak, the fire threatened several remote communities, including Tennant Creek, Epenarra and Canteen Creek. It also disrupted major roads, including the Barkly Highway, and posed risks to important infrastructure.
The fire remained active for 8 weeks and was declared safe and fully extinguished on 23 October 2023.
Key statistics
Total area burnt: About 2.8 million hectares
Duration: 29 August to 23 October 2023 (57 days)
Fire incidents during peak period: 123 separate fire incidents in the Barkly region
Communities directly threatened:
Tennant Creek (population about 3,000)
Epenarra (population about 170)
Canteen Creek (population about 147)
Transport impacts:
- The Barkly Highway was closed for a total of 8 days, including several shorter closures
Fire response and support
Bushfire response efforts were led by Bushfires NT. Support was provided by the Northern Territory Fire and Rescue Service, Northern Territory Police, other Northern Territory Government agencies, pastoralists, land managers and local communities.
On 12 September 2023, a formal emergency situation was declared after a strong wind change pushed a large fire front towards Tennant Creek. This led to an escalation to the highest level of emergency response.
Firefighting efforts included extensive ground and aerial operations. This was the first time water‑bombing aircraft were used in the Barkly region to help protect communities and important assets.
Extra help was provided through the AFAC National Resource Sharing Centre. This included two strike teams from the South Australian Country Fire Service and crews from the NSW Rural Fire Service. Specialist support was also provided, including fire behaviour analysis and aerial scanning to map fire edges.
The Department of Defence supported the response by providing equipment and personnel. Other agencies assisted with logistics, road management, earthworks, public information and community engagement.
Backburning was a key firefighting strategy. Several large backburns were carried out, some extending more than 200 kilometres. These were used to slow the spread of the fire and help protect Tennant Creek and nearby pastoral properties.
Impacts
Throughout the incident, there was an ongoing risk to lives and property across remote and sparsely populated areas of the Barkly region.
The fire threatened Aboriginal communities, pastoral stations, mining infrastructure, and major transport and supply routes. Freight movements and essential supplies were disrupted, with some transport routes diverted for long periods.
Telecommunications were also affected. This included the temporary loss of a repeater tower, which made coordination and community communication more difficult.
No deaths were reported as a direct result of the Barkly Fire Complex. Public reports did not indicate any injuries or illnesses requiring hospital treatment among residents or emergency responders.
Insurance impacts:
Insurance losses have not been formally estimated. This is largely due to the size of the affected area and the high number of remote, uninsured or under‑insured assets, particularly on pastoral land and remote infrastructure.