Fires and Floods in Central Australia

It has been a unique year thus far in Central Australia – but then, in such a place, no year is ever like another. Tinder dry grass after a wet summer offered fuel for fires, and indeed, earlier on in 2023, flames licked properties on the outskirts of town. Heat pressed down as summer gradually leached away, and then the rain began.

Grass fire, Alice Springs, Winter 2023 (Photo credit: Geraldine Butter)

Storms and low temperatures brought unseasonable chill to Alice Springs. The temperature plummeted and warnings for flash flooding were issued. Mist hung over the MacDonnell Ranges and further south in Yulara, waterfalls cascaded off Uluru. The Central Desert wore the beauty of the rain with appreciation, knowing how precious and rare it is.

The skies are still soft. However, there have been alerts for fires in parts of the Territory. Lots of rain means lots of fuel for burning. Speaking of sparks, Territory Day saw firecrackers shoot into the sky over Central Australia and the Top End, marking halfway through 2023. We are slowly entering into the latter part of the year. Time moves on.

Central Australia remains still breathing in time to the heartbeat of the desert. Fires and floods have come and gone – and may come again. The MacDonnell Ranges are green, the weather cooler, and the desert flings its arms wide open to visitors. Who knows what the rest of the year will bring? We are about to find out.