Firefighters have issued emergency warnings for out-of-control blazes on the state's Mid North Coast as high winds hampered their efforts and temperatures across NSW surpassed 30 degrees on Saturday.
The NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) said 86 bush or grassfires were burning across the state about 5pm, with 67 yet to be contained.
One home appears to have been destroyed and many more evacuated, while total fire bans are in place for seven regions including the greater Sydney area because of high temperatures and winds.
Residents along Putty Road today evacuated pets and looked on while water dumping helicopters used a local dam to extract water to extinguish the fire.Credit:Dean Sewell
"Unfortunately it's going to be a very long afternoon for firefighters and [people in affected areas]," Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers said about 3pm Saturday.
"Winds are incredibly strong and in some cases force aircraft to be grounded ... It's going to get worse before it gets better.
He said the last two months had been "horrendous". "Crews are very tired, we're still in this very tough drought... it's the worst condition for firefighters," he said.
Property 'destroyed'
A grass fire burning out of control near the Hawkesbury, at Putty Road in East Kurrajong, was being contained by firefighters about 2.30pm on Saturday.
Residents along Putty Road today evacuated pets and looked on while water dumping helicopters used a local dam to extract water to extinguish the fire.Credit:Dean Sewell
But fires were still burning around Forster and Tuncurry on the Mid North Coast on Saturday afternoon in difficult conditions including strong and gusty winds.
"There is significant smoke in the area. Reports of at least one property being damaged or destroyed," the RFS said.
It warned residents that smoke, ash and embers blowing towards Forster were creating spot fires that could threaten properties.
Residents in Darawank, Corrigan and Hallidays Point were advised to seek shelter as the out-of-control blaze approaches.
Watch and act warnings are in place for seven blazes spanning from Martinsville near Lake Macquarie to Tyringham in the Clarence Valley. Affected communities include Willi Willi and Carrai Creek near Kempsey, Kearsley near Cessnock and Cotswold near Narrabri.
Mr Rogers advised NSW residents to stay informed through media and the Fires Near Me app.
Strong winds in Sydney and small rainfall in state's west
The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) forecast temperatures in the low 30s for Sydney and mid 30s for parts of the north coast and state's north on Saturday. Winds of up to 100km/h were also predicted, creating conditions in which fires can travel quickly and could threaten homes, the RFS said.
Temperatures hit 32.5 degrees at Sydney airport on Saturday, while the state's highest temperature of 36.7 degrees was recorded at Moree.
"We've had pretty strong northwesterly winds throughout the Sydney basin today [and] that severe weather warning for damaging winds throughout the day time," BoM meteorologist Elli Blandford said.
"It looks like our highest gust so far in the city is 59km/h in Kurnell [in the Sutherland Shire]."
Drought-striken towns in the state's Central West received a bit of water with a rainband on Saturday and overnight but there was "not much significant rainfall", Ms Blandford said.
Coonabarabran recorded just 0.4mm of rain.
With AAP
Natassia is a journalist for The Sydney Morning Herald.
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