Standing in suburban Bolwarra Heights, off-duty Maitland firefighter Darren Lancaster watched embers rain from the sky earlier in September.

All it would take is one leaf-filled gutter to catch a falling spark and there goes the neighbourhood. The embers had floated from kilometres away, in rural Woodville, where an out-of-control grass fire was tearing across farmland.

Spreading quickly through farmland, overgrown after a damp Winter, it was a worrying preview to what could be in store for the region. The Hunter is hit with bushfires like clockwork – Abernethy in 2002, Heatherbrae in 2013, Neath last Summer. 

“But the last big fire [Maitland surrounds] had was more than 10 years ago,” said Maitland Fire and Rescue’s Captain Paul Casey. 

That’s a problem because when a damp Winters (as 2016’s has been) and Spring is followed up by a hot Summer (as is predicted) plant growth in the bush accelerates.  

“Imagine your lawn in Summer, it’s 10 times worse in the bush and we’ve had 10 years of [growth].”

Captain Casey said each year his firefighters are told “this could be the year” for a massive bushfire in the region and they prepared accordingly. 

“It depends on the weather because the fuel load is all there,” he said. “If you get those hot days, low humidity, especially that wind from the North West that’s hot and dry.”

Mr Casey stressed the importance of bushfire preparations for residents who live both at the edge of bushland and in town.

“Clear your gutters, trim bushes, keep your own are clear,” Captain Casey said. “If you have a sprinkler put it on your roof… lock up all doors and windows.

“Have a bushfire plan ready if you live near the bush and be ready for ember attacks.”

Be prepared for the upcoming bushfire season by visiting rfs.nsw.gov.au/plan-and-prepare . Track fires online rfs.nsw.gov.au/fire-information/fires-near-me