WA bushfire downgraded as northern Australia braces for monsoonal rain and flooding
The Boddington bushfire in Western Australia has been downgraded to a Watch and Act level, after burning more than 4,000 hectares and causing significant damage to the Newmont Boddington goldmine. Residents evacuated on Christmas night remain unable to return as the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) warns that it is not safe due to unstable fire and weather conditions. Eight fires continue to burn in WA, though cooler conditions are expected to ease the fire danger, with temperatures remaining above 30C in parts of the state.
In northern Australia, a monsoonal trough has developed, bringing widespread rain and storms. A flood watch covers a vast area from the Mackay coast to Townsville and further inland across western and south-west Queensland into the Northern Territory toward Tennant Creek. The North-west Queensland Gulf Coast is forecast to receive between 300–500 mm of rainfall, with risks of road closures and isolation.
A flood warning is in effect for areas between Townsville and Cairns, with forecast rainfall of 50–100 mm increasing to 150 mm early next week. Elsewhere in Australia, warm weather is expected with temperatures reaching the mid-to-high 30s in Adelaide, Melbourne, and Canberra, while Hobart will experience lows in the 20s.
