The Mid North Coast is being warned of tough bushfire conditions to come, ahead of an already challenging start to spring for firefighters.
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"It's concerning that we're having increased fire activity in spring," NSW Rural Fire Service Lower North Coast district manager Superintendent Liz Ferris said.
The NSW RFS has issued a high fire danger rating for the North Coast (which includes Kempsey and Port Macquarie) on Tuesday, October 3, October 4 and October 5.
Port Macquarie is set to reach a maximum temperature of 29 degrees on Tuesday, October 3, while Kempsey is set to hit a maximum temperature of 31 degrees.
"Permits will be suspended during that time," Supt Ferris said.
Supt Ferris said firefighters are currently battling blazes which they would normally expect to occur in summer.
She said people need to be vigilant and consider methods of reducing bushfire risk, without the use of fire through hazard reduction burns.
The Bureau of Meteorology has formally declared an El Nino weather event.
Australia is already seeing extreme conditions in some part of the continent with an extended period of warm and dry weather to start spring.
There were concerns that an out of control fire at Seale Road, Kempsey which flared up over the weekend would result in a peat fire (underground) at the location.
"Thankfully we managed to keep it out of that area," Supt Ferris said.
It brought back memories of the Lindfield Park fire at Port Macquarie which started in July 2019 and burned for more than 200 days.
On Monday, October 2 the Seale Road fire was under control.
Weatherzone meteorologist Aline Ribeiro confirmed the data shows it's already been a warmer and drier start to spring.
Port Macquarie's highest September temperature was 31.1 degrees on Tuesday, September 5.
The average maximum temperature for the month was 23.9 degrees, higher than the long term average of 22.8 degrees (based on 30 years of data).
Ms Ribeiro said just over three millimetres of rainfall fell over the month, making it an incredibly dry September.
Kempsey's average minimum temperature of 6.2 degrees in September was the lowest recorded for 22 years.
The long term average minimum temperature (based on historical data) is 8.2 degrees.
Kempsey's highest temperature was 32.7 degrees on Tuesday, September 5.
Ms Ribeiro said the average maximum temperature for the month was 26.2, about two degrees higher than the long maximum term average (based on historical data).
Just nine millimetres of September rainfall was recorded, well below the long term average of 44.6 millimetres.
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