Conditions easing for NSW firefighters

LARGE fires continue to burn across NSW, but Friday should bring a welcome change of conditions for firefighters and residents in fire zones.

While the extent of the devastation was unclear on Thursday night, one of the worst-hit areas was Springwood, in the Blue Mountains, where up to 30 homes were known to be lost.

But authorities expect the number of destroyed or damaged properties across the state will be much worse and fear lives may be lost.

Elsewhere, thousands of firefighters are struggling against about 100 blazes across the state - on the Central Coast and further north, the Southern Highlands and the south coast.

Temperatures in the low to mid 30s, with a maximum of 37 recorded near Newcastle, combined with strong winds gusting up to 102 km/h provided terrible conditions for firefighters on Thursday.

Thousand of hectares were burnt, mainly around the state's Central Coast, and authorities expect hundreds of homes to be lost.

But the weather should ease on Friday, a Bureau of Meteorology spokesman told AAP.

Temperatures should drop by about 10 degrees, with the mercury expected to hit 20-25 degrees in most parts of the state.

During the night, winds will decrease and will be negligible for most of NSW on Friday, blowing below 15km/h.

The strongest breeze is predicted to swirl at 30km/h.

"We are not expecting winds to be of any significance because of a high pressure region," the BOM spokesman said.

"Apart from humidity, all the other factors will play in the favour of the firefighters."

No serious rain is expected but showers may come for the coastal parts of the state between Monday and Wednesday.

While firefighters will be flat-out, some students will be able to take the day off, with numerous schools closed on Friday.

Winmalee Primary School, Winmalee High School, Ellison Primary School and Zig Zag Primary School in the Blue Mountains and Yanderra Primary School in the Southern Highlands weren't damaged, but fires are dangerously close to the schools, a Department of Education spokesman told AAP.

St Columba's High School and St Thomas Aquinas Primary at Springwood, Bunya Child Care Centre and Rainbow Preschool at Winmalee are also closed.

Students from Winmalee High School and St Columba's can attend other schools to sit their HSC exams, or if they can't make it safely to an alternative location they can make an application to ensure they aren't adversely affected.

Parents and students are advised by the department to contact their schools on Friday morning for further updates.

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