A PORT Stephens bushfire that flared to Watch and Act status on Saturday morning has been downgraded to advice and classified as under control.
Water-bombing helicopters filled up at the southern end of One Mile beach to tackle the Melaleuca Avenue blaze near Anna Bay after strong southerly winds fanned the flames of the grass fire.
Shortly after 10am the NSW Rural Fire Service said an earlier threat to homes had eased after volunteer crews gained the upper hand.
"If you are in the area of Melaleauca Avenue and Eucalyptus Drive at One Mile, monitor conditions," the authority advised.
Rain has given parts of the Hunter a welcome reprieve from the kinds of horror conditions that had firefighters on high alert across the region just a week ago.
The Bureau of Meteorology forecasts easing winds along the Hunter coast on Saturday, with cool and cloudy conditions across the weekend.
The 324,000-hectare Kerrys Ridge fire burning near Muswellbrook is also classified at advice level.
The RFS advised on Saturday morning there was no immediate threat to property as crews reinforced containment lines.
