MORE than 20 bushfires blazed across NSW yesterday, most of them in the Hunter Valley and Northern Rivers regions.

Seven hundred volunteer firefighters from the NSW Rural Fire Service have been mobilised and taskforces established across the state.

A total fire ban for the Sydney metropolitan area, The Hunter, North West Plains and Northern Rivers was in force throughout the day, with the ban expanded to include the Mid North Coast, the Northern Tablelands and the North West Plains.

Fears of strong winds fanning extreme fire conditions were not realised and all fires were being contained last night.

There were no injuries.

Near Kempsey, on the north coast, four fires burnt an area of 1000ha.

Another 1000ha was alight around the Hunter Valley town of Cessnock. At Gloucester, 1200ha were burned out, while near Singleton several running grass fires caused problems for firefighters throughout the day and closed the New England Highway.

The Pacific Highway was closed in the afternoon due to fires at Grafton. Roads in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney were also closed.

At Gosford, there were three separate fires, with resources from Sydney being dispatched to help local crews.

In Sydney, more than 170 firefighters worked through Monday night to contain blazes at the foot of the Blue Mountains. Fires came extremely close to houses in the Emu Heights and Mt Riverview areas.

At 1.30pm firefighters were called to a fire in a headland reserve at Avalon on Sydney’s northern beaches.

Five NSW Fire Brigade crews and three Rural Fire Service crews fought the blaze.