The mercury will continue to rise across NSW as the new year draws closer, with bushfire danger reaching its peak on 2019's final day.
After elevated temperatures caused NSW to sweat on Saturday, conditions around the state are expected to further deteriorate on Sunday.
Total fire bans have been declared in the southern and central ranges, while 11 NSW regions and the ACT will be under "very high" fire danger.
Penrith in western Sydney will rise to 41C on Sunday as fresh heatwave kicks in, while regional centres in the Hunter, central west, central and southern tablelands will feel the heat with temperatures well above 35C.
Rural Fire Service volunteers will now be able claim compensation. Source: AAP
Temperatures are expected to peak on Tuesday, with New Year's Eve forecasts of more than 40C across western Sydney and in regional NSW.
The rising temperatures come after firefighters spent the past week striving to contain large and complex bushfires before conditions worsen.
Two firefighters have been killed this fire season and as many as 1000 NSW houses destroyed. Almost 110 fires were burning in NSW on Saturday.
RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said firefighters had completed challenging work in areas such as the Blue Mountains and south coast, backburning and establishing containment lines.
Mr Fitzsimmons said the RFS was not expecting a return of catastrophic conditions on Tuesday but firefighters and communities would be challenged.
A rapidly-growing fire near Tarcutta in the Snowy Valleys was on Saturday afternoon raised to "emergency" level as it burned erratically towards the east, but has since been downgraded back to "advice".
Prime Minister Scott Morrison is briefed by NSW RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons in the NSW Rural Fire Service control room. Source: AAP
Persistent, large bushfires at Gospers Mountain northwest of Sydney, Green Wattle Creek southwest of Sydney and Currowan in the Shoalhaven continue to burn, with authorities admitting only rain will put them out.
The federal government, meanwhile, has announced RFS volunteers battling long-running blazes
The payments of up to $300 per day will be available to Rural Fire Service NSW volunteers who are self-employed or work for small and medium businesses.
