Firefighters hope to contain NSW blazes

Firefighters hope to contain at least some of the 17 uncontrolled fires in NSW as 65 blazes continue to burn across the state.

Rural Fire Service (RFS) Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers says conditions are greatly improved from Thursday but fire crews remain concerned about two fires.

The first one, located south of Taree, caused the closure of the Pacific Highway on Thursday after jumping the highway and Old Bar Road.

The fire burnt more than 100 hectares of bushland after crews spent the night backburning.

Local residents have been allowed back into their homes but people are warned to stay away "unless they actually need to be there", Mr Rogers told the Seven Network.

The other fire of concern is at Shallow Bay in the Great Lakes area which has burnt approximately 70 hectares on Thursday and is believed to have destroyed some sheds.

It is near houses but none are currently under threat, Mr Rogers said.

"We're hopeful that the conditions today will allow us to get some of these fires contained," he said.

"But we won't get them all contained and then conditions deteriorate tomorrow."

Sixty scouts were evacuated on Thursday and more than 10 homes came under threat as fires fanned by strong gusts broke out.

A 16-year-old boy has been charged in relation to a bushfire at Glenrock State Conservation Area, near Newcastle.

A high fire alert remains in place for NSW.

Bureau of Meteorology Forecaster Jake Phillips said a high pressure system and southerly winds had brought milder conditions for firefighters.

"The winds are a lot lighter today," he told AAP.

"A lot more favourable conditions for fighting fires, I imagine."

But Mr Phillips also said hot, dry and windy conditions are expected to return on Saturday with parts of the midnorth coast expected to top 30 degrees.

"We're looking at fairly gusty westerly winds developing again tomorrow particularly through the afternoon," he told AAP.