An unpredictable electrical storm sweeping across the north west-Gulf region has sparked 26 separate fires, with dry lightning striking grazing land already primed by heavy fuel loads.

Rural Fire Service North West-Gulf area manager Shane Hopton said the storm cell moved from the Northern Territory through to the Gulf of Carpentaria and to Julia Creek, igniting blazes across vast areas of the region.

"It started roughly 26 fires throughout the Gulf and into the centre around Julia Creek," Mr Hopton said.

"We've had subsequent storms ... and those have helped extinguish or allowed landowners to contain the majority of them."

While some rain has helped landholders get the upper hand, Mr Hopton said unpredictable weather conditions continued to ignite fires around the region.

"We're in

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