A new advertising campaign warns NSW residents to "prepare, act and survive" ahead of what is expected to be the state's worst bushfire season in years.
Emergency Services Minister Steve Whan said the campaign would help people understand new fire danger ratings introduced as a result of Victoria's Black Saturday bushfires.
Forecast hot and windy conditions on Thursday resulted in a total fire ban and "severe" fire danger rating for Sydney, the Greater Hunter, Illawarra, the south coast, northern Riverina and lower central west plains.
It's the first time the "severe" rating has been used, after the system was overhauled after February's Victorian bushfires.
A new top category of "catastrophic" has also been introduced.
The new ad explains the danger to people and property on days with a fire rating of severe, extreme and catastrophic.
"If you live in one of those bushfire prone areas then these ads are for you," Mr Whan said told reporters.
"It is not somebody else's business to make sure you are prepared."
With the unseasonably hot weather and strong winds people in bushfire areas needed to begin preparing now, he said.
"We have already experienced significant fires in NSW in recent weeks, with many areas beginning their bushfire seasons early," Mr Whan said.
RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said the campaign used plain language to alert people of the real dangers of not being prepared.
"(The Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission) made it very clear that they wanted people to realise that they may die," he said.
"That their lives may be at risk if they don't think about what action they are going to take ahead of a fire ... making decisions at the last minute is where lives are lost."
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