While many people chose to cool off in the pool, the river or with an icecream, firefighters were on high alert with a total fire ban declared for the region.

Hot, dry conditions this month have led to a parched region, with a severe fire danger rating in place for Bathurst and the Central Ranges.

NSW Rural Fire Service Chifley Zone team manager Tom Shirt said firefighters were on alert yesterday with cured grassland covering much of the region.

By late yesterday, no fires had broken out across the zone, however a number were burning west of Bathurst near Tullamore, Weethalle near West Wyalong, and at Ungarie.

So far this month, Bathurst has sweated through 21 days of above average temperatures.

While the long-term average temperature in Bathurst is 23.3 degrees for November, the mercury has hovered in the early 30s for many days this month.

Bathurst Aquatic Centre was the place of choice for many Bathurstians hoping to stay cool yesterday, with hundreds of people through the gate by early afternoon.

Duty manger Tori Stapleton said it was the busiest day so far for the current swimming season.

“The most popular thing today is that a lot of people are having a picnic outside on the grass and using the outside pool,” she said.

Swimmers were hungry as well, according to Ms Stapleton, with many lining up for hot chips and an icecream after their dip in the pool.

While yesterday was certainly warm, it was still a little off the city’s hottest November day on record when the mercury hit 39.7 degrees on November 20, 2009.

The hottest day on record for Bathurst was on January 12, 2013 when the mercury tipped the scales at 40.2 degrees.

Warm weather is predicted to continue today with a top of 33 degrees, before dropping to 26 degrees tomorrow and up to 28 on Wednesday.

There is also a 90 per cent chance of up to 20 millimetres of rain today.

The fire danger rating for today eases slightly to very high.