Weary firefighters have been battling bushfires since July 2019

Tinder dry conditions, resulting from the prolonged drought and warmer than usual conditions forced the RFS to introduce an early start to the fire season along the Mid North Coast to August 1.

Bushfire seasons traditionally run for the six months from October to late March.

Over the past six months we have seen significant fire activity across the Mid Coast and Port Macquarie Hastings local government areas (LGA), district officer, Stuart Robb said.

Since the start of the bushfire season the Mid Coast has had two section 44 declarations.

The first began on August 21, 2019 running for 40 days while the second began on October 26, ending 88 days later on Monday, January 21

"This represents a total of 122 days under S44 declaration in the past six months," Mr Robb said.

Mr Robb explained a S44 formed part of the Rural Fires Act 1997 giving special powers to the commissioner to take charge of fire-fighting operations and bushfire prevention measures.

"It's beyond the capability of one agency; it's a multi agency project."

In the three months since the Minimbah fire broke containment lines and crossed the Wallamba River and tore into Tuncurry, Darawank, Failford, Hallidays Point and Rainbow Flat on October 26 the RFS has received more than 3100 incident calls, or 35 calls a day.

During the past six months there have been 58 fires over five hectares in size, which have burnt 420,000ha of bushland.

This figure represents more than 30 per cent of the two LGAs.

During the peak of the fires in November, 150 homes, nine facilities and 303 outbuildings were destroyed with 68 homes, 16 facilities and 139 outbuildings damaged.

However, more than 2300 homes, facilities and outbuildings in the fires' paths were saved.

Sadly there was a fatality as a result of the fires in November 2019.

Between November 7-14, 2019 there were more than 500 firefighters and 200 fire trucks from the RFS, Fire and Rescue, Forestry Corporation and National Parks and Wildlife on the fire-ground, supported by 22 aircraft and 125 heavy plant equipment.

Emergency personnel were assisted during this time by teams from New Zealand, Tasmania, SA, Victoria, ACT and Canada.

Twenty six emergency warnings were issued to communities across the Mid Coast from November 8-14.

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During the past three days the district has received between 30-150mm of rain, which has assisted the nine remaining fires

"These fires are now listed at a patrol status and will managed by the responsible agency for the land tenure."

A further indication the RFS is getting the upper hand, the S44 declaration that has been in place for the past 88 days will be revoked from 6pm this evening, Tuesday, January 21.

However, fire permits will remain suspended and reviewed after the Australia Day long weekend.

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