Two bushfires that burnt through more than 750 hectares in the New South Wales Hunter during windy conditions have been downgraded, despite windy conditions continuing.
A blaze at Salt Ash, near Port Stephens, was downgraded from emergency warning to watch and act after it earlier threatened homes in the area.
NSW Rural Fire Service said the Salt Ash fire would continue to burn overnight and fire crews would remain on the scene to establish containment lines, but expected windy conditions to continue throughout the night.
A second fire, about 50 kilometres to the west, near Kurri Kurri, was further downgraded from watch and act to advice, after the RFS earlier issued an emergency warning.
Across the state, 16 fires are burning.
RFS Inspector Ben Shepherd said 350 firefighters would remain working on those fire grounds throughout the night.
While there would be no total fire bans in place for Friday, a large part of the state remained on very high fire danger, Inspector Shepherd said.
"We could see that very high fire danger extend into the weekend, mostly due to those prevailing strong westerly winds which will prove containing this fire still quite difficult, just due to how dry it is as well," he said.
Earlier, the NSW Rural Fire Service said it expected properties to be impacted by an out-of-control fire which reached Salt Ash on Thursday afternoon.
Nelson Bay Road has now been reopened but residents should expect delays with heavy traffic in the area.
Lemon Tree Passage Road remains closed.
The fire burnt out more than 700 hectares, and at one point crossed Medowie Road.
The RFS said firefighters and waterbombing aircraft — including the Gaia Boeing 737 Large Air Tanker — were working to protect homes and slow the fire's spread.
It was the first time in the world that an aircraft of this kind had been used fight a fire, the RFS said.
Emergency alert telephone warnings were sent to homes in the area and the RFS has advised those in the area who receive a warning message to take action.
An evacuation centre opened at Irrawang High School on Raymond Terrace.
Inspector Shepherd said some school students had been taken by bus to the evacuation centre.
An emergency warning was issued for another bushfire, burning about 50 kilometres to the west, near Kurri Kurri.
However that threat level was downgraded this evening to a watch and act, before being downgraded further to advice.
The fire burnt through more than 60 hectares of land.
At one stage, non-essential staff were evacuated from Kurri Kurri Hospital as the blaze moved towards Pelaw Main.
