Namadgi bushfire, wild Canberra winds keep services busy - The Canberra Times

SES workers remove tree branches from a house in Aranda. Photo: Rohan Thomson

A bushfire burnt out of control in remote, mountainous terrain in the territory's south-west on Sunday, as strong afternoon winds brought down a number of trees across the city.

The Rural Fire Service sent seven units to battle the bushfire on the northern slopes of Mount Namadgi late on Sunday night. The fire, which emergency services first alerted the public to at 3.48pm, was burning near the ACT/NSW border and was moving south, away from Canberra.

The Emergency Services Agency said the fire was moving slowly , and was being controlled.

The SES on site at a home on Gundara Street, Aranda. Photo: Rohan Thomson

Firefighters used two aircraft to carry out water-bombing operations, and two Remote Area Firefighting teams were helping extinguish the fire. Water bombing ceased late on Sunday night, but crews stayed on scene to build containment lines overnight. The fire danger rating for the area was described as low to moderate late on Sunday, meaning fires could be easily controlled.

The fire came as Canberra suburbs were hit by strong winds. Relatively still conditions early in the morning took a turn on Sunday afternoon, with wind speeds rising to more than 40km/h from 2pm.

The Bureau of Meteorology recorded a maximum gust of 82km/h at 4.45pm, a speed just below the warning threshold of 90km/h.

A number of trees were brought down across the city, with the State Emergency Service receiving four calls for help by 5.20pm.

A large branch came down over a house in Aranda in the late afternoon, but did not cause any injuries or significant damage. SES workers removed the debris from the roof.

The westerly winds were a result of a low pressure system moving through the region.

The bureau does not expect the blustery conditions to continue on Monday, with winds of between 15km/h and 25km/h forecast.

The temperature is expected to drop to 19 degrees in the day on Monday, and the fire danger is forecast to be low to moderate.