02 October 2007

Australian Bushfire Activity: 18-27 Sep 2007

Below is the latest 10-day hotspot composite from the NASA MODIS Rapid Response website. The dates of the composite are 18-27 September 2007.

The NT continues to experience large amounts of wildfire. A recent update on the activity in the Territory can be found here. The Gulf Country fires, the Tanami Desert fires and the eastern Arnhem Land fires noted previously are readily apparent on the hotspot composite. The growth of the fires over the 10-day period is also visible. The newer fires noted in the NT update are not present (or very small) in the composite image.


The fires in the Kimberley region are beginning to die down a bit, although four to five considerable areas of active fire remain throughout the Kimberley.


As in the previous composite, there is a region of hotspots in the Greater Weipa area of the Cape York Peninsula. These are more or less the same size as seen previously, suggesting that controlled burning in the area earlier has played an important role in containing these blazes.


Out to the west of Cairns and Mossman are two large bushfires, each on the order of 150 000 ha burnt. These seem to be diminishing in magnitude at this time. Some fires are also seen closer to Cairns over the last 10 days. A sugar mill was reported damaged in a fire south of Cairns, near Mulgrave. Other, smaller fires are noted in the near coastal areas up and down the north QLD coast.


In SE QLD and northern NSW, a broad area of widely scattered hotspots is seen. While most of these are generally small fires, perhaps agricultural burn-offs, some more concerted areas of wildfire have been noted in the Northern Tablelands of NSW. A fire ban was issued for the region on 19 September. Later in the 10-day period, lightning lit several fires in the Tenterfield area. There were nine active fires at one point. Most of these fires were a few thousand hectares or less. They have since been contained. There was also a report of a bushfire burning south of Brisbane which required water bombers and helicopters to contain. It burnt of the order of 100 ha.


Finally, a region of fire is noted in SE WA. This region is about 200 km ENE of Laverton, WA. It was noted as starting on the previous update. It is in a very remote region, and no information about it is readily avialable.


A few isolated hotspots are seen in other regions of the country.


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