NSW weather: Fires burn in state’s south as temperatures hit the forties

Firefighters are on high alert as hot temperatures and strong winds spark NSW’s first bushfires of the season.

Forty-degree temperatures and strong winds saw firefighters called to NSW’s first bushfires of the year on Wednesday, with similar conditions expected to flame more blazes later in the week.

The Southern Riverina region had the first total fire ban of 2021, with temperatures reaching 41.6C at Hay Airport and 40C for Griffith and Yarrawonga, just across the border in Victoria.

RFS spokesman Greg Allan said fire crews were alerted to eight blazes in NSW on Wednesday but only two required “activity” from firefighters, including an Advice level blaze burning 10km south of Bombala on Platts Rd, Mila where no properties were expected to be impacted.

A bushfire burns near Platts Rd, Mila in the Snowy Monara region on Wednesday afternoon. Picture: NSW RFS

“We’ve a few on the coast today like a small grass fire in Shoalhaven, then one at Narooma, two in Cootamundra, one in the southeast near Bombala and also one in the Albury area,” Mr Allan said.

“We’ve seen minimal activity today. These fires are either at Patrol or Advice level, and all but one are contained.”

A Very High Fire danger warning remains active for the Southern, Eastern and Northern Riverina areas and the Southern Slopes.

A Total Fire Ban is now in place for the Southern Riverina area today, Wednesday 13 January with Very High fire danger. Hot and windy conditions forecast across large parts of NSW today. Review and discuss your bush fire survival plan this morning.https://t.co/R9tDns8ts6 #NSWRFS pic.twitter.com/Q7Cc1UlG97

— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) January 12, 2021

Mr Allan said that while the lack of bushfire activity so far on such a warm day was “very positive”, a southerly change due in the afternoon could change everything.

He said NSW residents should remain alert on Thursday and Friday, while conditions remained warm and dry

“There’s still a number of hours of heat and winds, especially once the winds swing from northwesterly to southerly. It’ll be important to remain vigilant, especially in the Riverina,” Mr Allan said.

“When the wind changes, while we might have relatively minimal fire activity, the wind could see anything that sparks take off rather quickly.”

Hot under the collar? We're in a run of high temperatures in NSW, as summer finally gets its sizzle into gear.
See how hot it's going to get in your area here: https://t.co/pSqI2nmPMw
Check out the Fire Danger Ratings for your area here: https://t.co/FA4uC0cvWx pic.twitter.com/6gh29sYcqI

— Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) January 12, 2021

Temperatures around NSW mostly hit or topped 30 on Wednesday, with the BOM recording a top of 30C in Sydney’s CBD and 32C in the west.

To the north, Grafton saw 29C, Taree had a top of 29C and Armidale reached 24C, while Bathurst hit 31C, Dubbo saw 34C and Bourke and Cobar had tops of 39C.

In the south, Bega and Cooma reached 31C, Wagga Wagga had a top of 38C while Tibooburra, Broken Hill and White Cliffs all reached 41C — the highest temperature in NSW.

Despite “slightly cooler conditions” on Thursday and Friday, BOM Senior forecaster Jake Phillips echoed Mr Allan’s warning of high fire danger on Thursday and Friday.

Last year’s horrific bushfire season is still high on everyone’s minds. Picture: Darrian Traynor / Getty Images

Mr Phillips said strong winds and dry air would whip up fire conditions in the Riverina again and “broadly” across NSW.

“The southerly hitting the south and southwest won’t have much effect on the rest of NSW, we’ll see similar temperatures to Wednesday tomorrow, getting up around 41C to 42C again in the state’s west and temperatures in the 30s widespread,” he said.

“More broadly, the highest fire danger will be again near the Victorian border and through Riverina, though there will also be high danger in the Central West and Northwest Slopes on Friday,” Mr Phillips said.

“We’re not expecting huge wind speeds tonight when the southerly hits … but it will be pretty windy and much drier then (on Friday).”