Many days of above average temperatures this month, along with high rainfall, have led to extensive grass growth.

Bathurst has not experienced such significant spring grass growth in more than a decade, according to NSW Rural Fire Service Superintendent Greg Wardle.

Such is the concern about grass and scrub drying out across the region that Bathurst has had a very high fire danger classification for five consecutive days.

“We haven’t really seen grass growth like this in years, it’s been a good growing season,” Superintendent Wardle said.

“I haven’t seen grass growth like this for 10 years.”

His concern is that when the grass dries out, a fire would spread very quickly in hot and windy weather.

“It won’t take long at all now [for grass to cure], certainly with this heat and the wind behind it,” Superintendent Wardle said.

“If we continue to get hot and windy weather like this, I’ll be very concerned.”

However, bushland areas across Bathurst are causing even greater concern, Super-intendent Wardle said.

“I’m more concerned about fires in the bush than in the grass because it’s already dry,” he said.

Weatherzone meteorologist Guy Dixon said the established El Nino will continue to have an effect on weather for the remainder of the year and into 2016.

“The chances of warmer and drier conditions are increased,” he said.

“It is a contributor to the risk of fire.” 

It is not just Bathurst sweltering with hot weather and parched land, with four regions of NSW under a total fire ban yesterday.

Crews were on high alert in the Greater Sydney region, along with the Hunter, Northern Slopes and North West region.

Superintendent Wardle said at this stage no requests for help have been received to assist crews who are continuing to battle out-of-control blazes north of Adelaide.

So far the deadly fire has killed two people, with fears held for a third. In addition, 13 people have been hospitalised.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported the blaze has roared across more than 85,000 hectares of cropping land on Wednesday alone, and threatened a string of towns.