Tuesday marked the official end of the 2019/20 bushfire season - one that the Rural Fire Service called the most devastating and unprecedented in NSW history.
While the Hunter Region was spared the worst of the horror that faced people elsewhere in the state - particularly on the Mid North Coast and southern parts of NSW - fire crews were called on numerous times throughout the season and remained ready to respond as temperatures raged well into the 40s on several days during summer.
Among the blazes, crews were kept busy at Lake Macquarie and Port Stephens in January after fires at Charmhaven and Kurri Kurri in December - following infernos that threatened homes at Greta and North Rothbury in November.
Houses were also under threat in suburban Lake Macquarie before the bushfire season began, when a blaze came within metres of homes at Belmont in August.
The ongoing threat led to the cancellation of community Christmas carol events across the region in December.
RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said the season had been unprecedented in terms of conditions, loss of life and property across the state, as well as the threat level to communities.
He said 2448 homes were destroyed and more than 5.5 million hectares of land - more than 6 per cent of the state - was burnt across NSW during the bushfire season. Twenty-five people died, including six firefighters, and six days were rated as having catastrophic fire conditions.
"We must also be mindful of all those still enduring the very raw and difficult recovery process as a result of the fires and that efforts are sustained through this very personal challenge," Mr Fitzsimmons said.
"While the focus now for all of us is rightly on the coronavirus response effort, the next bushfire season will begin in only a matter of months, so keep your property prepared and have your bushfire survival plan up to date and discussed with those in your family and household."
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