Month: January 2026

Source: South Australia County Fire Service

Issued on
24 Jan 2026 17:06

Warning area
John Street, War Memorial Drive, Railway Terrace, Charles Street and Fisher Street near Balaklava, approximately 25 kilometres east of Port Wakefield on the Wakefield Plains South Australia.

Warning level
Advice – Avoid Smoke

Action
Smoke from BALAKLAVA Structure Fire is in the John Street, War Memorial Drive, Railway Terrace, Charles Street and Fisher Street area area.

Smoke can affect your health. You should stay informed and be aware of the health impacts of smoke on yourself and others.

Symptoms of exposure includes shortness of breath, wheezing and coughing, burning eyes, running nose, chest tightness, chest pain and dizziness or light-headedness.

If you or anyone in your care are having difficulty breathing, seek medical attention from your local GP. If your symptoms become severe, call 000.

More information will be provided by the CFS when it is available.

Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

A Total Fire Ban (TFB) has been declared for the Northern Country, North Central, North East and East Gippsland fire weather districts tomorrow, Sunday 25 January 2026.

Tomorrow’s conditions in those regions will be hot and dry with temperatures reaching 44 in the northern parts of the state and west south-westerly winds around 20-30 km/h gusting to 45km/h.

A Total Fire Ban means no fire can be lit in the open air or allowed to remain alight from 12.01am to 11.59pm on the day of the Total Fire Ban. 

CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan said the TFB has been declared due to the expected conditions across the state tomorrow along with current fires in the landscape.

“Tomorrow’s conditions will make it difficult for firefighters to suppress a fire should one start,” he said.

“While firefighters across the state have been doing incredible work building containment lines around the current fires, in these elevated conditions there is the potential for those fires to escape.

“People need to avoid fire affected areas, abide by the current traffic management points in place, they are there for your safety.

“We’re asking people to follow the strict conditions associated with the Total Fire Ban declaration.

“We want people to enjoy their long weekend festivities but encourage the community to remain alert and fire ready.

“Understand the how the increased fire risk will impact you and ensure your fire plan covers all possible contingencies.”

Victorians can find out if it is a Total Fire Ban on the CFA website www.cfa.vic.gov.au, where it is usually published by 5pm the day before a Total Fire Ban.

For more information on what you can and can’t do visit the Can I or Can’t I page on the CFA website. 

Victorians should also make sure they have access to more than one source of information.

They include:

• ABC local radio, commercial and designated radio stations of Sky News
• The VicEmergency App
• The VicEmergency website www.emergency.vic.gov.au
• The VicEmergency Hotline on 1800 226 226
• CFA or VicEmergency Twitter or Facebook

Submitted by	CFA Media

Source: South Australia County Fire Service

Issued on
24 Jan 2026 12:44

Issued for
Horrocks Highway near Auburn, approximately 25 kilometres south of Clare in the Clare Valley, South Australia.

Warning level
Advice – Stay Informed

Action
CFS is responding to a fire on the Horrocks Highway, Auburn. .

If you are in this area, stay informed and monitor local conditions. More information will be provided by the CFS when it is available.

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The Northern Territory Police Force has arrested a 15-year-old male following a disturbance in Malak on Friday afternoon.

Around 4:15pm, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre received reports that a male youth had attended a Malak service station armed with an improvised weapon and was allegedly damaging fuel bowsers and vehicles, while threatening members of the public.

It is alleged the offender threatened two adult males aged 47 and 56 with the weapon during the incident. No injuries were reported as a result.

Police attended the scene and arrested the offender with charges are expected to follow.

Police urge anyone with information to make contact on 131 444. Please quote reference number NTP2600008052. Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via https://crimestoppersnt.com.au/.

Source: South Australia County Fire Service

Issued on
24 Jan 2026 08:38

Issued for
Baroota  near Port Germein 28km North of Port Pirie in the Flinders Ranges within the Mid North.

Warning level
Advice – Stay Informed

Action
CFS is responding to a fire in Baroota near the Augusta Highway .

If you are in this area, stay informed and monitor local conditions. More information will be provided by the CFS when it is available.

Source: ACT Police

Last update: Friday, 23 January 2026 11:12am

Original publication: Friday, 23 January 2026 11:12am

Source: ACT Police

Last update: Friday, 23 January 2026 9:09am

Original publication: Friday, 23 January 2026 9:09am

Source: ACT Police

Last update: Thursday, 22 January 2026 9:00am

Original publication: Thursday, 22 January 2026 9:00am

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The Northern Territory Police Force has seized two vehicles in Darwin following separate incidents of hooning behaviour.

On 16 January 2026, police received reports that a black Holden utility was driving on Trower Road near Jape Homemaker Village and conducted two burnouts while travelling along the roadway.

Dash cam footage captured the offending behaviour and was provided to police.

Investigations were conducted and the offending vehicle was subsequently seized.

The 49-year-old driver was issued with infringement notices for:

• Driving a vehicle causing loss of traction
• Careless driving
• Making unnecessary noise
• Driving a vehicle causing damage to a road surface

Today, Road Policing Officers seized a second vehicle after observing a vehicle conduct a burnout at the intersection of Julius Street and the Stuart Highway Northcrest.

A subsequent search of the vehicle located dangerous drugs. Police also observed an unrestrained nine-month-old child inside the vehicle at the time of the incident. The vehicle was seized for hooning.

The 18-year-old driver has been charged with:

• Driving a motor vehicle while never licenced
• Driving with a prohibited drug in their body
• Possessing a Schedule 2 dangerous drug in a quantity less than traffickable
• Driving a vehicle causing loss of traction
• Driving a vehicle making unnecessary noise
• Failing to state name and address
• Driving with unrestrained child

The Northern Territory Police Force reminds drivers that hooning behaviour is dangerous and will not be tolerated, with vehicles subject to seizure and further penalties under Territory law.

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The Northern Territory Police Force has charged a man in relation to a serious crash near Stuarts Well earlier this week.

Police will allege that the 22-year-old male employee of a business pursued a grey Mazda after the occupants failed to pay for fuel.

His Toyota Hilux has allegedly collided with the right rear passenger side door of the Mazda, causing it to lose control and crash.

The 37-year-old male driver of the vehicle suffered life-threatening injuries and remains in Royal Adelaide Hospital receiving treatment.

The 38-year-old female passenger also received injuries and remains in Alice Springs Hospital receiving treatment.

The 22-year-old male remains in police custody and has now been charged with:

• 1 x Drive vehicle in a manner dangerous
• 1 x Drive a motor vehicle causing death or serious harm
• 2 x Recklessly endangering serious harm

He was remanded to appear in Alice Springs local Court today.