5.30PM UPDATE: Fire authorities have warned the Border and Riverina not to drop its guard.

In the final briefing at Albury RFS headquarters about 4pm this afternoon, Albury Civic captain George Alexander said the region had enjoyed "a bit of good luck" today.

"(But) that doesn't mean to say it's all over. We'll just wait and see."

Winds have settled slightly and the likelihood of storm activity has decreased, however temperatures are still above 35 degrees across most of the region - Albury rose back to 37.8 at 4.30pm - and humidity levels are their worst in several days.

Total Fire Bans have been declared for the Eastern and Southern Riverina areas tomorrow, which includes the Albury, Greater Hume, Corowa and Berrigan shires.

Tomorrow is expected to bring milder weather. Click here for the forecast.

HENTY/LOCKHART/MUNYABLA FIRE: The Henty fire is now under control.

The blaze, which started burning at Munyabla near Lockhart, moved quickly towards Henty but was contained about 10km from the town of about 800 residents.

Emergency transport was on standby at aged care homes and the Henty hospital as the town waited to see if containment lines held.

RFS and Fire and Rescue NSW sent strike teams to Henty to support the firefighters battling the blaze.

The fire started burning near  'The Oaks' property on Ryan Road, Munyabla after a tree fell onto power lines.

An Emergency Alert Telephone Warning message was sent to a number of isolated properties in the area.

The fire came within a few hundred metres of the home of Munyabla fire captain Daniel Klemke.

TARCUTTA: The Hume Highway is closed in both directions due to a fire burning out of control near Tarcutta.

Motorists are advised to avoid the area. Northbound traffic is being diverted at Tumbarumba Road onto the Sturt Highway. Southbound traffic is being diverted onto the Sturt Highway then Tumbarumba Road.

The Eastern Riverina (Albury, Coolamon, Greater Hume, Junee, Lockhart, Wagga Wagga) has been upgraded from a 'severe' to 'catastrophic' fire danger level.

If your life is at risk, call Triple Zero (000) immediately.

Continue to stay up to date with the bush fire situation by checking  the RFS website www.rfs.nsw.gov.au, listening to your local radio station or by calling theNSW RFS Bush Fire Information Line on 1800 679 737.

Current incidents in NSW according to the RFS - click each pin to view incident

CONARGO/JERILDERIE FIRE: 2PM:  Fire has jumped Yanko Creek at Conargo, near Jerilderie, but firefighters on the scene are confident they'll gain control.

Rural Fire Service incident controller Lindsay Ashbrook said they were starting to "get around" the head of the fire.

"We're reasonably confident. More than we were an hour ago," Mr Ashbrook said.

He said the threat to Jerilderie has been reduced and no properties have been lost that he was aware of.

Twelve rams have been confirmed to have been lost in the fire that has swelled to 2000 hectares so far.

Sixteen tankers and four aircrafts are fighting the fire. Three strike teams are on-route. 

The fire was started by a lightning strike last night and initially burnt 270 hectares.

12.30PM: A small fire caused by falling rocks has been quickly extinguished at Nail Can Hill.

The grass fire started when rocks fell from the back of a truck and sparked a blaze.

Only a small patch of land was burnt.

10.40AM: Extreme fire conditions are expected to begin at 11am and last for nine hours, a briefing at the Rural Fire Service heard this morning.

RFS Superintendent George Alexander addressed a roomful of police, representatives from the Greater Hume, Albury, Corowa and Berrigan councils, the Red Cross and agriculture and health representatives.

These people will base themselves at the RSF headquarters today.

Mr Alexander said severe conditions started at 9am and extreme fire conditions would begin at 11am with hot temperature and strong winds.

If fires start, he said, they are likely to be "uncontrollable".

Three fires in the area are being monitored.

One on the Jingellic Road at Holbrook and two old fires at Willow Park and Peddles Hill.

10.15AM: A possible "thundery shower" is now predicted for Albury-Wodonga and other parts of the region.

But the late afternoon change - also forecast for Benalla, Corryong and Dartmouth by the Bureau of Meteorology - is expected to bring less than one millimetre of rain, offering no respite to today's high fire alert.

Authorities are hoping the storm does not see winds increase further, after stronger than expected gusts already today.

In Albury, which is already 36.1 degrees on its way to a predicted 39, winds are at 44km/h, with gusts up to 69km/h.

Gusts have also reached 57km/h at Rutherglen.

Meanwhile, An eagle hit a power line on Jingellic Road at Holbrook this morning, causing a small grass fire.

Rural Fire Service Superintendent George Alexander said eight fire trucks responded quickly due to the severe fire conditions.

They contained after it had burnt 0.3 of a hectare and it's now at patrol status, which means there are no flames but firefighters are on stand-by in case it re-alights.

EARLIER: EVACUATION centres are on stand-by and emergency operation rooms are open in Albury and Deniliquin as firefighters brace for today's dangerous fire conditions.

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Albury’s NSW Rural Fire Service Superintendent George Alexander briefed Fire and Rescue NSW officers, police, councils, health and environment officials yesterday afternoon.

He said evacuation centres would be on stand-by in Albury and the southern Riverina with fire conditions reaching extreme levels today and total fire bans in the North East and Riverina.

An emergency operation centre would operate at Albury and at Den­iliquin that will become the hubs for organisations on fire-watch.

The Victorian equivalent, incident control centres, will be operating in Wodonga and Shepparton with a smaller team based in Corryong.

Two RFS strike teams, one which assisted with Wagga fires yesterday, will be on stand-by. A Fire and Rescue strike team is also on hand, along with a number of water-bombing helicopters and planes.

Mr Alexander hopedthis preparation would be for nothing.

“We’ve got our fingers crossed,” he said.

At 2.15pm yesterday, there were 91 incidents across NSW. Thirty-one were in the state’s south.

RFS Rural Riverina Highlands officer Bob Germantse said fire crews were successful in containing a 550-hectare bushfire at Ournie yesterday morning but there had been reports of substantial stock losses, possibly up to 1000 sheep.

“We’ve been consolidating in preparation for Tuesday making every effort we can in blacking-out and water-bombing trees,” he said.

Fires at Peddles Hill and Horse Creek were out and a Willow Park fire was deemed safe.

Meanwhile, people in Tumut, Tumbarumba and Gundagai are recommended not to be in bush areas today.

RFS officers said campers should defer trips and if they decide to camp, use designated sites rather than isolated areas.

NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell warned people caught deliberately lighting fires today faced fines of up to $110,000 and prison sentences of up to 25 years.

Residents can follow fire activity online at rfs.nsw.gov.au or cfa.vic.gov.au or by phoning 1800 679 737 in NSW or 1800 240 667 in Victoria.