Crews have contained this fire and will be conducting backburning for the next few hours, emergency services have advised.

The grass and scrub fire is on the Stuart Highway near Stuart Estate.

The fire was spreading rapidly north-west from bushland around Zimin Drive industrial area towards Stuart Estate, fire services said.

Winds are gusting to 30kmh in the area.

Residents were advised to undertake any necessary precautions.

Authorities were first alerted to the fire just before noon.

There was a second smaller fire in the O’Shea Terrace area.

Katherine was not included in a total fire ban warning for today.

The 24 hour fine ban period for today includes the Northern Fire Protection Zone and Darwin and Adelaide River fire weather forecast areas.

The Fire Ban is declared for a 24 hour period starting at midnight to midnight tonight.

This includes the Darwin, Batchelor, Adelaide River and Pine Creek emergency response areas and the Litchfield municipality and Coomalie Shire.