Smoke covers the city as Sydney firefighters prepare for brutal summer

SMOKE billowing from bushland in Sydney’s northern suburbs is part of a Rural Fire Service hazard reduction burn ahead of what is expected to be a brutal bushfire season.

SMOKE billowing from bushland in Sydney’s northern suburbs is part of a Rural Fire Service hazard reduction burn ahead of what is expected to be a brutal bushfire season.

The RFS has been conducting a number of burns across the state over the past week, with Elvina Bay and Lovett Bay at West Head the focus today.

Hazard reduction photo Tweeted by the NSW RFS of the HR Burn at Elvina Bay on Pittwater in Sydney's North. Picture: RFS via Twitter

Crews have now completed the lighting of these burns in the city’s north and residents will likely see smoke for a number of hours while the important work is done ahead of the dangerous summer months.

Hazard reduction being undertaken by the NSW Rural Fire Service at Elvina Bay on Pittwater in Sydney's North. Picture: RFS via Twitter

With showers forecast for this afternoon, the Rural Fire Service praised the crews for getting the hazard reduction underway before the conditions turned sour.

RFS crews will continue to take advantage of favourable weather conditions in October, with hazard reduction operations planned for areas around Muswellbrook, Lithgow Sutherland and Pittwater.