RFS Lower North Coast Superintendent Lachlann Ison addressed councillors at the November council meeting and said crews will be focusing on reducing the risk of bushfires following last year's Back Summer fires.

"The conditions we have seen at the beginning of this fire season are not like the conditions we faced last year by any means," he said.

The seasonal weather outlook is predicting a La Nina event, bringing a sigh of relief for firefighters.

"It means we don't have those really dry conditions we saw last year, but we are still seeing lightning and the coastal strips remain a concern," Supt Ison said.

Supt Ison also said there has been quite a large reduction in the number of fires the Macleay has experienced since last year due to the weather.

"Between July and September last year we had over 300 fires and this year there was just over 100 in the same time period.

"However, the wet weather does mean we haven't been able to conduct many of our hazard reduction burns."

Supt Ison spoke to councillors about the past 12 months and said there has been an influx of new members signing up to volunteer with the RFS.

"We've had 75 new memberships over the past year," he said.

"The past 12 months have been tough for our firefighters and because of COVID-19 they haven't been able to get together and talk about what they experienced last year.

"The mental health of our members is a high priority for us at the moment as well."

Mayor Liz Campbell took the time during the meeting to thank local firefighters for their hard work.

"It's been one year since we experienced the bushfires and we would like to, once again, thank our local firefighters for their hard work last year," she said.

"I saw first hand the dedication and commitment that was shown to keep the community safe. Their courage and bravery will stay with me forever."