The Rural Fire Service is urging the public to prepare and be vigilant, with NSW Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons warning that hot, dry winds and very high temperatures will provide ideal conditions for bushfires.
"The Bureau of Meteorology has indicated the Greater Sydney, Greater Hunter, Illawarra and Shoalhaven regions will experience extreme fire danger on Thursday," the commissioner says.
"Maximum temperatures are forecast to be up to 10 degrees warmer than average for October, reaching 40 degrees in some areas.
"Strong winds, with gusts of more than 70km/h, are expected and these conditions mean there is potential for the rapid spread of fire."
The Hunter forecast is for northwesterly winds increasing to 60km/h in the middle of the day, and temperatures reaching up to 36 degrees.
Superintendent Jason MacKellar, from the lower Hunter RFS, told 1233's Philip Clark Thursday will be "one of those days".
"We've had quite a few of them so far," he says.
"We always get northwesterly winds around this time of the year, but this year they're really persisting and the Hunter Valley's a bit of a funnel for the northwesterlies this year and the humidity's very low.
"Put all those together, it's a bit of a recipe for bad fire weather."
While Jason says fuel loads are not as high as they have been previously, the burning part of the RFS hazard-reduction program is currently on hold as it's just too dangerous to be lighting any fires.
The service is still doing mechanical hazard reduction, clearing "asset protection" zones behind residential areas and making sure fire trails are in place.
The RFS, Fire and Rescue NSW and National Parks and Wildlife are preparing for Thursday's extreme conditions by dedicating firefighters, tankers and aircraft to the affected parts of the State.
The RFS urges people to report any fire and call triple zero immediately, and says a completed Bushfire Survival Plan is vital for householders.
They also advise residents to clear their properties of fuel such as leaves in gutters or wood piled up near buildings.
1233 ABC Newcastle is your emergency broadcaster in the Hunter and you can stay across emergency updates by following our live coverage, as well as via @1233Newcastle on Twitter and our Facebook page.
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