Residents south of Darwin have thanked firefighters for saving their properties after multiple blazes broke out and were stopped within metres of homes.
The highest emergency alert levels were issued for three bushfires in rural areas near the city on Thursday, stretching resources and potentially endangering lives.
The first was at Adelaide River in the early morning, followed by blazes north at Berry Springs and the Darwin River fanned by strong, hot and dry winds.
The Berry Springs fire is regarded as suspicious and is being investigated.
Dean Thiesfield was 50km away at work in Darwin when his wife at home with their young child rang late in the morning to say she could see smoke. That quickly changed to seeing flames nearby and then trees on fire in their backyard and their neighbour's.
"It was a worry at one stage," he told AAP.
"I can't give the firefighters enough credit really."
While spreading water on his back yard, hovering birds of prey attacked his hose thinking it was a snake or another animal fleeing.
Throughout the Berry Springs-Malaplains area there were numerous homes with burnt ground ending close to people's houses and front yards.
A helicopter was used to dump water on the blaze.
Ryan Kerwin was working on his house when the fire broke out.
When the flames began heading towards his property on three sides, he rang firefighters who were there within 30 seconds as they had been working close by.
He had been using sprinklers and hoses before that.
"The fireys did an excellent job and had it all under control," he said.
It was the first time in six years living there he had seen a fire so close.
Primary schools students were kept at school after classes finished.
The three fires have been reduced from emergency to still heightened watch and alert warnings and are controlled for now.
Humid weather is predicted for the next couple of days before dry and windy conditions return.
