The $762,000 facility is just about ready to be handed over to the Rural Fire Service - and not a moment too soon considering the conditions are set up for a potentially frightening fire season.

Member for Bathurst Paul Toole and Oberon mayor Kathy Sajowitz were given a tour of the new facility recently by Stuart Pennells from Inland Building and Construction, which won the tender to build the facility.

Mr Toole said the new station will give volunteer firefighters better access to equipment and technology that they had previously been without.

“This is a huge boost for the local NSW Rural Fire Service firefighters and gives them a first-class facility for their vehicles, equipment and meeting requirements,” he said.

The new fire station features purpose-built bays for vehicles, a meeting room, office, a lockable hose drying rack, roof collection water tank for firefighting purposes, and kitchen and bathroom amenities.

“The local RFS volunteers are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week and their contribution to the community should not be taken for granted,” Mr Toole said.

“Its members are not only at the ready to respond to bushfires, they are also trained to attend to a diverse range of incidents including motor vehicle accidents.”

The O’Connell Brigade was formed in the 1930s and is active in the local community.

The brigade regularly undertakes community engagements as well as running the cadet program in a number of local schools.

The new headquarters might be put to use sooner rather than later as, despite some late rain, the Bathurst district finished 2017 well down on its average yearly rainfall.

The Bathurst district has had an official 25 millimetres this month to start the year, but the long-term average for the district for January is 62mm.

Temperatures are forecast to climb into the high 30s from Friday onwards during a period that is sure to keep the district’s firefighters nervous.