The NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) has urged Illawarra property owners to carefully consider Wednesday’s forecast dry, warm and windy conditions before burning off.
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The warning comes as authorities brace for winds of up to 65km/h, potentially gusting as high as 90km/h, unseasonably-warm temperatures and low humidity across the region.
Wollongong is forecast to reach a maximum of 23 degrees on Wednesday – about five degrees above average for this time of the year.
The RFS has declared a very-high fire danger across the Illawarra/Shoalhaven, Greater Sydney and Far South Coast districts.
The official fire season has not yet begun. However, it will come into effect on September 1 – one month earlier than usual, due to the current dry conditions.
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather warning for the Illawarra and parts of the South Coast on Wednesday.
The bureaus says west to northwesterly winds are expected to strengthen overnight on Tuesday as a cold front approaches from the west.
The front is forecast to cross southeastern NSW on Wednesday afternoon.
Damaging winds averaging 50 to 65km/h, with gusts to 90km/h, are possible in areas below 1900 metres during Wednesday, peaking in the early afternoon.
Winds are expected to ease later on Wednesday following the passage of the front.