NSW fire crews have been working to reduce the threat of a Hunter region bushfire that endangered residents, before the forecast return of severe conditions in the area.
The 754-hectare Cessnock Rd Fire burning at Abermain, Kurri Kurri, South Weston and Pelaw was at advice level on Friday afternoon after being downgraded from emergency level on Thursday.
The fire, which formed when three separate blazes combined, has destroyed at least two houses and one business in the area, the ABC reports.
A NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) spokesperson was not able to confirm the report.
The spokesperon said crews had worked on Friday to contain several fires around the state, including the Cessnock Road blaze where backburning continued.
"That's just to try to burn that out ahead of tomorrow," the spokesperson told AAP, referring to forecast hot and dry weather on Saturday.
On its website, RFS said firefighters were strengthening containment lines ahead of the possible extreme fire danger, while building assessment teams evaluated damage caused by the blaze.
Earlier, RFS said on Facebook that it completed key backburns on the blaze overnight, which would be critical given Saturday's high-risk forecast.
More than 50 bush and grass fires were burning in the state on Friday afternoon, but none at watch and act or emergency level, according to the RFS site.
A Total Fire Ban was in place for Saturday in Greater Sydney, Illawarra/Shoalhaven, Northern Slopes, North Western, Greater Hunter and Central Ranges, it said.
"Hot and windy conditions are forecast, with several areas experiencing extreme fire danger," the RFS said on X.
The Bureau of Meteorology on Friday issued a heat wave alert for large parts of NSW, forecasting the conditions for the Northern Rivers, Mid North Coast, South Coast and North West Slopes and Plains Districts until Monday.
