Northern Territory firefighters are on full alert as the worst fire season in years looms due to huge fuel loads caused by recent La Ninas.

“This week we did issue our first catastrophic fire weather warning for the Northern-Barkly region and that is actually the first catastrophic fire danger warning that we’ve had in a couple of years,” Ms Gamble said.

The Territory is perhaps the most at-risk, but fire experts and meteorologists say the same pattern of growth and risk have made the entire continent a tinder box.

Alice Springs staffing shortfall Firefighters in the middle of EBA negotiations with the government for better pay and conditions are set to be stretched across the high-risk weekend, NT Fire and Rescue Service said.

“But there are strict processes around that,” he said.

The community has been advised not to operate machinery or create any unnecessary sparks across the weekend.