The Rural Fire Service is urging residents to reach out for help preparing their properties at this weekend's Get Ready events.
The service holds a Get Ready Weekend ahead of each fire season so residents can engage with their local brigade, find out how to prepare their home and establish or update their fire plan in the event of an emergency.
Due to COVID-19 some brigades have moved their events online - via conference calls and social media, while others are still being held face-to-face with NSW Health guidelines in place.
RFS Lower Hunter Inspector Dave Millsteed said it was hugely important for people to ready their homes now, rather than when it was too late.
"A well-prepared property is what we call a defendable property," Inspector Millsteed said.
"If there's lots of combustible fuels around the property, clogged gutters and wood piles up against buildings, it makes life very hard for us.
"It's much, much easier to try and clean up your property now while the weather is still coolish than when there's a fire in the area.
"Preparing for bush fires is easier than you may think. Have a five-minute conversation and ask yourself - how fireproof is your plan? When will you go, what will you take and where will you go?"
During the catastrophic 2019/20 bushfire season more than 11,000 fires burned through 5.5 million hectares across the state, with nearly 2,500 homes and 26 lives lost.
"Although we have had some welcome rain and the drought is not as widespread coming into this season, there is potential for grass fires in particular, and we all need to be well prepared," Inspector Millsteed said.
"NSW RFS members have been busy preparing by undertaking hazard reduction burns where possible, maintaining firefighting equipment and undergoing additional training."
Hazard reduction burns have been scheduled in Lake Macquarie and the Central Coast this weekend, while Lower Hunter RFS crews are hoping to conduct more from next week.
For information about Get Ready Weekend, including a list of local events, visit the RFS website.
