If you thought you could smell fire when you woke in Sydney this morning, you weren't imagining it.
Smoke is in the air around the city, particularly in the south, as the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) takes advantage of favourable conditions to start hazard-reduction burning.
There are two burns taking place in the south around Loftus and the Heathcote National Park.
Ben Shepherd from the RFS said people could expect more of the same in the coming weeks and months.
"Traditionally this is the time of year we get most of the [hazard-reduction] program done," he said.
"We get 50 per cent done in Autumn."
Lower temperatures and reduced winds are providing optimal conditions for hazard-reduction burning.
Although it's still warm, Mr Shepherd said if crews wait another month, rain might interfere.
The two burns around Loftus and Heathcote will be completed by the end of the day.
When hazard-reduction burns occur around the Greater Sydney area, smoke is often most visible early in the morning, as it sits in the lower gullies and valleys overnight, Mr Shepherd said.
As temperatures rise, the smoke dissipates.
The RFS undertakes hazard-reduction burns to help lessen the intensity of bushfires and prevent their spread.
This is done by burning away hazardous vegetation, such as long grass, outside of peak bushfire season.
Burns are planned in advance and are listed on the RFS website.
