Very hot, dry and gusty winds ahead of a trough are bringing fire dangers to their highest levels in years in parts of New South Wales except for the Northern Rivers, The Mid North Coast and the Northern Tablelands. Catastrophic fire danger (100+) was reached over the Western, South Western, Northern Riverina, Eastern Riverina and lower Central West Plains. Today, Bomballa reached a top of 36 degrees with winds gusting to 94 kilometres per hour, bringing their fire danger rating to 164. This is their highest fire danger rating in at least seven years worth of records. Further north, Wagga Wagga also had their highest fire danger rating in seven years (170) with temperatures reaching 42 degrees and winds gusting to 100 kilometres per hour. Extreme fire danger rating was reached over the Illawarra Shoalheaven, Southern Ranges and Southern Slopes. Sydney reached a top of 32 degrees (6 above average), their warmest day so far this month. Further west, Richmond reached 42 degrees, their warmest day in 4 years and warmest December day in 15 years. Conditions should ease through the next 24 hours as a cooler southerly change spreads across the state bringing some showers.