Fire danger periods
A fire danger period can be declared for either the whole or part of the Territory for a specific period of time. Any area specified under a declaration of fire danger period is known as a fire danger area.
When is it declared
Bushfires NT and NT Fire and Emergency Service declares the fire danger period for the Top End and Central Australia at different times in the lead up to the bushfire season. It depends on the amount of rain, grassland curing rate and local conditions.
During a fire danger period, all landholders within a fire danger area must have a permit to burn.
Check whether the fire danger period is in force in your area.
The fire danger period is not the same thing as a fire ban.
For further information on fire bans, go to the Northern Territory Government website.
To find out what your requirements are during a fire danger period, go to the Northern Territory Government website.
Declaration information
For further information regarding the location of each zone, please refer to the maps below.
Alternatively, you can view Bushfires NT Fire Management Zones in relation to your address or location of interest, go to the Bushfires NT website.
Fire danger period declarations (current)
No results were found
Expired declarations
| Expired declarations | Declaration/map of fire danger area |
|---|---|
| Fire Danger Period Declaration for the Lasseter West, Lasseter East Fire Weather Forecast Districts, 22 December 2025 – 31 January 2026 | Lasseter West, Lasseter East Fire Weather Forecast Districts PDF 827.5 KB |
| Fire Danger Period Declaration for the Alice Springs Fire Protection Zone , Simpson East, Simpson West Fire Weather Forecast Districts, 7 November 2025 - 31 January 2026 | Alice Springs Fire Protection Zone , Simpson East, Simpson West Fire Weather Forecast Districts PDF 568.6 KB |
| Fire Danger Period Declaration for Barkly North, Barkly South, Tanami North, Tanami South Fire Weather Forecast Districts, 01 November 2025 - 31 January 2026 | Barkly North, Barkly South, Tanami North, Tanami South Fire Weather Forecast Districts PDF 568.6 KB |
| Fire Danger Period Declaration for Carpentaria West and East, Katherine Fire Protection Zone, Gregory South - East, Arnhem West, Arnhem East Fire Weather Forecast Districts, 01 November 2025 - 28 November 2025 | Carpentaria West and East, Katherine Fire Protection Zone, Gregory South - East, Arnhem West, Arnhem East Fire Weather Forecast Districts PDF 568.7 KB |
| Fire Danger Period for Tanami North, Tanami South, Arnhem West and Arnhem East Fire Weather Forecast Districts Thursday 25 September 2025 - Friday 31 October 2025 | Tanami North Tanami South Arnhem West and Arnhem East PDF 238.7 KB |
| 2025 Declaration of a Fire Danger Period Fire Weather Forecast Districts within the Savanna Fire Management Zone 17 July 2025 - 31 October 2025 | Savanna Fire Management Zone PDF 934.2 KB |
| Declaration of a Fire Danger Period - Carpentaria East Barkly North Barkly South | Carpentaria East Barkly North Barkly South PDF 802.7 KB |
| 2025 Declaration of a Fire Danger Period Vernon Arafura Fire Management Zone 2 July 2025 – October 4 2025 | Vernon Arafura Fire Management Zone PDF 755.0 KB |
| Map of 2025 Declaration of a Fire Danger Period Vernon Arafura Fire Management Zone 2 July 2025 – October 4 2025 | Vernon Arafura Fire Management Zone PDF 566.8 KB |
| Fire Danger Period Extension Savanna Fire Management Zone | Savanna Fire Management Zone PDF 595.7 KB |
| Active Fire Danger Periods Territory Map View | Active Fire Danger Periods Territory View PDF 592.7 KB |
| 2024 Declaration of Fire Danger Period Alice Springs and Barkly Fire Management Zone | Alice Springs and Barkly Fire Management Zones PDF 326.5 KB |
| 2024 Declaration of a Fire Danger Period Vernon Arafura and Savanna Fire Management Zone | Vernon Arafura and Savanna Fire Management Zones PDF 1.0 MB |
| 2024 Declaration of a fire danger area and fire danger period | Northern Fire Protection Zone PDF 680.7 KB |
| 2023 Declaration of a fire danger area and fire danger period | Central Australia PDF 191.5 KB |
| 2023 Declaration of a fire danger area and fire danger period | Katherine PDF 426.0 KB |
| 2023-2024 Declaration of a fire danger period | NT wide map PDF 707.1 KB |
| 2023 Declaration of a fire danger area and fire danger period | NT wide PDF 309.9 KB |
| 2023 Declaration of a fire danger period | Barkly PDF 332.5 KB |
| 2023 Declaration of a fire danger period | Top End PDF 341.2 KB |
| 2023 Declaration of a fire danger period has been extended | Central Australia PDF 282.5 KB |
| 2022 Declaration of a fire danger period | Savanna region PDF 525.2 KB |
| 2022-2023 Declaration of a fire danger period | Central Australia PDF 280.6 KB |
| 2018 Declaration of a fire danger period | Top End PDF 315.4 KB |
| 2018-19 Declaration of a fire danger period | Central Australia PDF 315.9 KB |
| 2019 Declaration of a fire danger period | Top End PDF 323.0 KB |
| 2019-20 Declaration of a fire danger period | Central Australia PDF 247.8 KB |
| 2020 Declaration of a fire danger period | Top End PDF 398.3 KB |
| 2020-21 Declaration of a fire danger period | Central Australia PDF 265.9 KB |
| 2022 Declaration of a fire danger period | Top End PDF 456.5 KB |
| 2021 Declaration of a fire danger period | Top End PDF 449.6 KB
NOTE: Central Australia was not declared. |