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EVERY national park in NSW is to be closed as the state faces its worst fire danger day in history, with severe, extreme and catastrophic conditions.
A total fire ban will be in place across NSW today, with temperatures in the state's far west predicted to hit 45 degrees, while the mercury is forecast to climb to 43 degrees in Sydney - the third highest on record.
"Having had record rain ... we are about to have record dangers," Premier Barry O'Farrell said in Sydney yesterday.
"Tomorrow will be perhaps the worst fire danger day the state has ever faced."
He urged those living in the Shoalhaven, the Illawarra and Southern Ranges to be prepared, with a catastrophic fire danger warning in place.
All state forests and national parks in NSW will be closed today due to fire risk and everyone in the parks has been told to leave as soon as possible, while residents of high-risk areas have been urged to evacuate.
"We are expecting horrendous conditions tomorrow and, in the interests of public safety, as well as the safety of firefighting personnel, we want the parks empty of people until the danger of bushfires has passed," National Parks and Wildlife Service Director of Conservation Operations Bob Conroy said.
NSW Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons also said it was "not recommended" that people living in catastrophic fire danger zones remain to protect their properties.
"We are talking about fire danger right off the conventional chart," he said.
"Some fires will start and spread so quickly that there will be little or no time to issue a warning."
An abundance of fuel and strong north-westerly winds of between 60 to 80km/h had heightened fire dangers in NSW, with around 90 fires burning across the state yesterday.
Thousands of firefighters and up to 70 aircraft are on standby.
Acting Deputy Police Commissioner and State Emergency Operation Controller Mick Fuller said police would be targeting suspected or known arsonists today and he asked people to be on the lookout for suspicious behaviour.
A firefighter injured while battling a blaze near Gunning, north of Canberra, yesterday was taken to hospital, the RFS said.
Meanwhile, an emergency warning was issued to residents of Oura in southern NSW, as firefighters battled a fast-moving grassfire but that was later downgraded to a watch and act. AAP
