WA bushfire downgraded while Queensland and NT brace for monsoonal rain and flooding | Australia weather

Australia is bracing for two extremes next week, with parts of the west facing extreme fire danger and a cyclone and flood watch issued for parts of Queensland and the Northern Territory.

Residents who evacuated their homes because of an out-of-control bushfire near Boddington, 130 km southeast of Perth, were still unable to return to their homes on Saturday, Western Australian fire officials said.

The fire destroyed more than 4,000 hectares and caused significant damage to the Newmont Boddington gold mine. Many residents had to spend Christmas night in an evacuation centre.

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That level was downgraded to watch and act on Saturday morning, but Western Australia’s Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) said there was still a potential threat to life and homes.

“Due to unstable fire and weather conditions it is not safe to return,” DFES said.

Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Jonathan How said a cool change would help ease the fire danger but eight fires were still burning.

Milder conditions across the rest of the state will continue into Sunday, but more heat is on the way and temperatures are expected to remain above 30C across much of WA.

Meanwhile, in addition to monsoon rains, the possibility of thunderstorms and floods is expected in large parts of Queensland and the Northern Territory.

“We’ve seen monsoons developing in northern Australia and we’re expecting very widespread monsoons and storms with that,” How said.

The flood watch is currently in place over a “very wide area” from the Mackay coast to Townsville, and then extends inland to west and south-west Queensland, into the NT and Tennant Creek.

Northwest Queensland, particularly the Gulf Coast, is expected to receive between 300 and 500 millimeters of rainfall, enough to block roads, isolate communities and halt travel.

A flood warning has also been issued for areas between Townsville and Cairns; It is estimated that the amount of rainfall will be between 50 and 100 millimeters and will increase to 150 millimeters at the beginning of next week.

Much of the rest of the country is expected to experience warm weather over the next few days; Temperatures will be in the mid to high 30s in Adelaide, Melbourne and Canberra. Hobart will be a bit calmer with lows in the lower 20s.