Superintendent Ken Neville, of the Mid Lachlan Valley Team Rural Fire Service, said if conditions are as bad as predicted, firefighters will have great difficulty containing any outbreaks of fire.

“We had a fire at Alectown this week which started in a paddock, and firefighters did a magnificent job in getting it under control in a couple of hours,” he said.

“But if fires are burning very erratically on a day we consider not too bad, it is going to be extremely difficult if conditions worsen.

“And Friday (today) is expected to be one of those days.

“We are expecting that because of the forecast for Friday (at least 40 degree heat), there will be a total fire ban in place and we would urge farmers to stop harvesting until the conditions improve.

“The country side is tinder dry and any little spark can start a blaze.

“It can spread very quickly and our chances of stopping it become very limited.”

Supt Neville reiterated his message - that if it is hot and windy, to stay out of the paddocks until the situation improves.

Some 12 units, a number of private units, a helicopter and a fixed wing plane were involved in containing this week’s fire in Alectown.

The helicopter and plane were in the area because of another big fire at Bedgerabong.