NSW bushfire fears grow for days ahead NSW firefighters are facing a tough day, with temperatures expected to climb and humidity predicted to drop. Worried residents of the Blue Mountains watch the progress of the devastating bushfires. Picture: Jeremy Piper Source: TheAustralian FIREFIGHTERS around NSW are bracing for a new flare-up in the bushfires that have already destroyed hundreds of homes. Easing conditions overnight have allowed the Rural Fire Service (RFS) to downgrade bushfires at Springwood and Mount Victoria and the State Mine fire in the Blue Mountains, as well as the Balmoral bushfire in the Southern Highlands, to a `Watch and Act' level. But temperatures and winds are expected to pick up from this afternoon and a total fire ban is now in place across Sydney, the Hunter region, Shoalhaven, the Central Ranges and the Illawarra. RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons has bunkered down with specialist forecasters from the Bureau of Meteorology and will brief Premier Barry O'Farrell at RFS headquarters later today. "I'm increasingly concerned about the potential for significant fire runs and consequential damage if the weather conditions materialise like they're indicating they could over this week," he told the Seven Network. About 200 firefighters have travelled to the firegrounds from interstate and that number could be boosted. "We're looking at bolstering that number ... particularly in light of what's expected to be some pretty deteriorating, awful conditions over the coming days," Commissioner Fitzsimmons said. He's paid tribute to the firefighters and volunteers who have worked to protect lives and homes from the major blazes that broke out on Thursday. (We've got) men and women doing some pretty extraordinary work. Time and time again you're hearing extraordinary stories of what they were being confronted with, decisions and actions that they took," he said. They've all got each other's back and right at front of mind, they're trying to do all they can for their local communities. The Bells Line of Road has been closed in both directions between Tadrosse Lane and the Great Western Highway. Between Mount Victoria and Bell, the Darling Causeway was also closed in both directions this morning, and buses were replacing trains on the Blue Mountains Line between Lithgow and Mount Victoria. At Wilton, Picton Road has been closed between Macarthur Drive and the M1 Princes Motorway. Motorists have been urged to avoid all bushfire-affected areas and drive with extreme caution in areas that are experiencing heavy smoke and poor visibility.