There’s no end in sight either, with the coming months set to be hotter and drier than previously predicted.

NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) Canobolas Zone operations officer Brett Bowden said high rainfall in winter and spring had worked wonders for winter crops, but subsequent fuel growth continues to cause problems.

“We had a nice lush start to our fire season, we had a bit of a green tinge around the region, but then November started,” Mr Bowden said.

“November was our driest November probably in the last 20 years and we’ve probably had the highest growth of grassland fuel in the past 20 years.”

Fire crews had an active Christmas period, followed by a constant January when lightning and human activity caused a number of ignitions in dangerous conditions.

January 18 was particularly treacherous, Mr Bowden said, when a bush fire burnt “a couple of hundred hectares” at Mandagery Road, Parkes.

“That was a horrendous day by anyone’s measure,” Mr Bowden said.

That day temperatures reached at 42.8 degrees with wind gusts peaking at 57 kilometres per hour in the afternoon. The fire danger index reached “80-odd” and was in the extreme range, but no houses were lost and fire crews were able to keep stock losses to a minimum. It’s been the story of the 2016/17 fire season.

“With good planning, with good community awareness, we can get on top of these things before they become disasters,” Mr Bowden said.

“The volunteer brigade have done a wonderful job so far.

He has reiterated calls for landholders to avoid activities such as angle grinding and using heavy machinery, during the hottest parts of the day and times of high wind.

Anyone wishing to conduct burning, even on milder days, needs a permit, he said.

“We need the cooperation of the community to pay attention to what they do in the outdoors and don’t provide us with any unnecessary missions,” Mr Bowden said.

“Here we go now into February, February traditionally being the hottest, driest month we have.

“We’ve now got perfect conditions for fires to run. It’s a dangerous time for everyone that lives in a rural area so they need to be careful.”