NSW residents are warned recent rainfall has not extinguished bushfires burning across the state, and there is no room for complacency with high temperatures and elevated fire danger about to return.
The Rural Fire Service (RFS) is expecting to see fire danger at “severe” to “extreme” levels in a number of regions on Thursday, including the Shoalhaven, Hunter, Illawarra, Sydney and the southern and central ranges.
Elevated fire danger is set to return on Thursday amid high temperatures. Credit:Kate Geraghty
The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting temperatures in the high-30s to low-40s for much of NSW on Thursday ahead of a cold front bringing strong, gusty winds.
Sydney is predicted to hit a high of 40 in the city and 43 in the west, with the chance of a thunderstorm in the afternoon and evening as well as gusty winds.