A total fire ban is in place across the Greater Hunter with an extreme Fire Danger Rating for the region.
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The Bureau of Meteorology said moderate to fresh and gusty west to northwesterly winds combined with warm and dry conditions result in areas of extreme fire danger across the Greater Hunter fire weather district during Sunday.
An extreme fire danger rating has been declared for Cessnock, Dungog, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Muswellbrook, Newcastle, Port Stephens, Singleton and the Upper Hunter.
People should report all unattended fires to Triple Zero (000) and stay up to date by visiting www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/fnm or by checking the Hazards Near Me NSW app
Maximum temperatures of 31 are forecast for Maitland and Singleton, Cessnock and Dungog can expect 32, tops of 29 are forecast for Raymond Terrace and Newcastle, while Nelson Bay is expected to reach 25 degrees.
The Total Fire Ban follows a fire on Saturday which tore through grassland and threated the Kurri Kurri Waste Water Treatment Plant
Eight NSW Fire and Rescue trucks as well as Rural Fire Service crews and the police formed a protective barrier around the water works.
Residents and visitors are reminded that during a Total Fire Ban you cannot light, maintain or use a fire in the open, or to carry out any activity in the open that causes, or is likely to cause, a fire.
General purpose hot works (such as welding, grinding or gas cutting or any activity that produces a spark or flame) are not to be done in the open.
The NSW RFS strongly recommends you reconsider activities such as such using a tractor or slashing, to help reduce the chance of a fire starting on your property. Under certain conditions, the NSW RFS may issue a Harvest Safety Alert.
The fire service recommends five simple steps to ensure your property is prepared.
- Trim overhanging trees and shrubs.
- Mow your grass and remove your cuttings. Have a cleared area around your home.
- Remove material and objects that can burn around your house such as doormats, wood piles, outdoor furniture and mulch.
- Clear and remove all the leaves and debris from around your house and your gutters.
- Prepare - Have some sturdy hose or hoses that will reach all the way around your house.