Kimberley bushfire season sees flames burn area double the size of Sydney
More than 100 personnel have been deployed to the Kimberley to assist in battling blazes. (Supplied: DFES)
In short:
Since August, bushfires have burnt an estimated 2.7 million hectares in Western Australia's Kimberley region, while the number of personnel deployed to battle blazes has more than doubled.
More than 160 fires have been reported in the Kimberley this northern bushfire season, with at least 13 believed to be suspicious or deliberately lit.
What's next?
The causes of all fires are yet to be determined.
Western Australia's Department of Fire and Emergency Services has dubbed this year's northern bushfire season "one of the toughest on record" with blazes burning an estimated 2.7 million hectares in the state's far north.
That is a combined area equal to twice the size of Sydney.
Derby resident Katlyn Yeeda was visiting family in the Bidyadanga community, 2,000 kilometres north of Perth, last month when a large blaze came close to the community.
"It was a very frightening experience to be close to something that bad," she said.
"It was hazy for days, it was really hard to breathe with all the smoke in the air."
That fire has now burnt through more than 1.3 million hectares of land and is one of 163 bushfires to have hit the Kimberley region since June 1.
Australia's first National Climate Risk Assessment report, released last month, warned northern Australia faced severe risks from climate change including more frequent and intense bushfires.
Loading...Ms Yeeda said she feared bushfires were already escalating in their intensity.
"It's actually been a lot bigger and a lot more frequent," she said.
"We don't know if it was anyone starting them, because we haven't had any rain or lightning around.
"It was definitely a lot bigger and more dangerous this year."
Meanwhile, a DFES spokesperson said a fire near Kalumburu in the East Kimberley burnt over 400,000 hectares and one near the popular El Questro station burnt more than 100,000 hectares, threatening infrastructure and cultural heritage sites.
A fire near El Questro Station burnt through 100,000 hectares of land. (ABC Kimberley: Giulia Bertoglio)
Personnel doubled this season
The ABC understands the number of personnel sent to the region has more than doubled due to the size and number of fires this season.
More than 100 firefighters and incident management staff from across the state have been trying to contain the blazes.
DFES Kimberley acting superintendent Nathan Hall said "rugged terrain" and the scale of the region meant battling the blazes was a "complex operation".
A bushfire near Bidyadanga burnt through more than a million hectares of land. (ABC Pilbara: Kelsey Reid )
"With fires spread out over vast remote areas, extensive coordination between emergency service staff and volunteers, Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions personnel, Traditional Owners and ranger groups, pastoralists and the mining sector has been vital this season," he said.
With minimal water resources available, Mr Hall said "dry firefighting techniques" were being used, such as graders creating firebreaks to slow and redirect fires into areas with less available fuel.
"Natural barriers such as rivers, rocky terrain or previously burnt-out areas are also used as containment lines, " Mr Hall said.
"Indigenous ranger groups and local landholders play a crucial role as their knowledge of the country helps in planning and executing fire suppression activities."
Concerns about deliberately lit fires
Of the 163 fires this northern bushfire season, 13 are reported to be suspicious or deliberately lit.
While the exact causes of all fires are yet to be determined, Mr Hall said several had been deliberately lit in recent months, which had placed "considerable pressure" on staff and volunteers.
"If you are out in the community lighting fires, you are recklessly putting people's lives in danger and should think about the consequences,"he said.