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SYDNEY - Soaring temperatures and high winds will keep firefighters across NSW on alert today.
Total fire bans for the Sydney, Hunter and Illawarra/Shoalhaven areas are in effect today as temperatures will peak in the high 30s and low 40s around the state.
A ban is also in effect for the state's southern ranges and the Rural Fire Service (RFS) expects the same to happen for the Australian Capital Territory today.
But easing weather conditions have reduced the threat from a bushfire burning just 12km from the NSW ski resort of Thredbo.
Firefighters in other parts of the state are bracing for the worst, but hoping for the best.
"As far as fires are concerned, everything is still fairly quiet," RFS spokesman Cameron Wade said.
"It's basically now, wait and see what the weather does."
The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting a cooler change today for the Mt Kosciuszko area which would be good news for the Thredbo fire.
"There's a bit of rain moving through with the change, and once the change has gone through it should ease things a little bit," senior meteorologist Bob Moore said.
"It will clear away and the northerlies should ease, so it is probably good timing for down there for the fires."
Up to 10 waterbombing aircraft are helping firefighters efforts since they are unable to bulldoze containment lines in the steep alpine area.
Crews have been reduced to using hand tools to create fire breaks since the mountain terrain prevents the use of backburning.
- AAP
