Authorities warn inland New South Wales may be facing the most "significant grassfire season" in more than a decade due to high fuel loads in the wake of heavy rainfall.
Grass and vegetation growth across western and central-west NSW have been supercharged by the record rains that have flooded river systems this year.
NSW Rural Fire Service Orana district manager Inspector Dave Millsteed said the countryside had dried out significantly after the flooding with dry, windy days.
"We are already seeing an influx of small grassfires, which is of concern going into the holiday season," he said.
"We have the potential at the moment for probably the most significant grassfire season than we've had over 10 years."
He said the state's entire central-west was at significant risk of fire because of grass growth.
Mr Millsteed said grassfires, as opposed to forest fires, could "move incredibly fast and be very difficult to contain".
Caution urged during harvest
Flooding in rural areas has significantly delayed harvest for many farmers, with bogging incidents widespread while soils remain soft.
Farmers were battling damaged roads, feral animals and sodden soils to get the harvest finished as quickly as possible.
Mr Millsteed warned that while completing harvest was a priority for farmers, both for business and to reduce the fire risk, landholders needed to be cautious.
Crops still standing in the fields were not only at risk of going up in smoke as the weather dried, they also represented a fire risk themselves.
"If it's going to be really hot, consider what you're actually doing and where," Mr Millsteed said.
"If you've got farm fire units, make sure they have been checked, and that they're close enough to where you're working during harvesting."
'It's going to be tough'
Richard Bootle grows wheat and canola at Nyngan, two hours north-west of Dubbo.
He has almost finished harvest but was concerned about the threat of bushfire.
"The reality is that west of the divide is going to be a giant tinderbox," Mr Bootle said.
"And we're all going to have to be incredibly vigilant.
"Yeah, it's going to be tough."
