But now is not the time to relax, officials say, with the threat of bushfires still high for at least the next week.

The unprecedented fire activity across NSW and the catastrophic fire danger in the Hunter on Tuesday has prompted Medowie Rural Fire Brigade to host a bushfire information session.

Residents with questions about bushfire danger and survival can ask volunteer firefighters at the station on Thursday from 7pm, subject to fire activity in the area.

While Port Stephens had on Tuesday experienced catastrophic fire danger, firefighters were not forced to respond to a fire unlike other parts of the Hunter and the wider NSW where more than 70 fires, of which about 15 were at some point at 'emergency' level, burned bushland and residential properties.

Across NSW the fires had claimed three lives, destroyed more than 150 homes and burned 850,000 hectares of land.

On Monday, as fires ravaged the mid north and north coasts, the state government declared a week-long State of Emergency, the first since October 2013, transferring powers to the NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner to control and coordinate the allocation of government resources and close roads throughout the state where necessary.

NSW RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said the risk from bushfire this was was "very real" and new fires could ignite from ones that had been brought under control.

During the past week, bushfires in NSW have been spotting 12 kilometres ahead of the main fire front and igniting new fires, Commissioner Fitzsimmons said.

Worsening bushfire conditions are expected during the coming week. A total fire ban is in place across the state.

The RFS is urging residents to be prepared for a bushfire and to keep an eye on the Fires Near Me website and smartphone app.

The Red Cross is calling on residents to check in on family, friends and neighbours.