Scott Morrison pulled a bizarre facial expression during a visit to fire-ravaged Nowra on the New South Wales South Coast.

The prime minister visited HMAS Albatross alongside NSW RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons on Sunday.

Mr Morrison was seen smirking as Mr Fitzsimmons briefed politicians on the devastating blazes that continue to decimate the Shoalhaven and Highlands regions.

He was seen shaking hands with local officials during the operational update, looking upbeat and smiling during the briefing.

Scott Morrison, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and NSW RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons are seen during a visit to HMAS Albatross in Nowra

Mr Morrison was seen smirking as Commissioner Fitzsimmons briefed the politicians on the devastating blazes that continue to decimate the Shoalhaven and Highlands

Mr Morrison speaks to members of the NSW Rural Fie Service during a visit to HMAS Albatross in Nowra on Sunday

The meeting between the prime minister and the commissioner came after Mr Fitzsimmons revealed he had no idea 3,000 army personnel would be sent to the worst hit areas until after it was announced on the news on Saturday.

Mr Morrison has sought to repair strains in his relationship with state authorities after the crucial bushfire announcement caught emergency bosses by surprise.

Mr Fitzsimmons said he was 'disappointed' not to have been told of the plans to deploy army reserve members to the state's worst hit areas.

He said to make matters worse the announcement came 'in the middle of one of our worst days this season'.

'I was disappointed and I was frustrated on one of our busiest days,' Mr Fitzsimmons said of Saturday's announcement.

'They apologised that in hindsight they could have done better with communicating that.'

Mr Fitzsimmons admitted he had called the prime minister's office on Saturday night to discuss the decision, but had 'moved through' his disappointment at its handling.

The meeting comes after Mr Fitzsimmons said he had no idea 3,000 army personnel would be sent to worst hit areas until after it was announced on the news on Saturday

Earlier this week, Mr Fitzsimmons told reporters that it was 'absolutely' the worst bushfire season on record as deadly blazes consume the country

The prime minister's office reportedly believed that NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian would pass news of the announcement on to Mr Fitzsimmons.

Victoria's Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp also confirmed he had received no official notification before the announcement.

Mr Morrison hosed down the issue during a press conference on Sunday morning, complimenting state authorities and conceding there had been a communication breakdown.

'The decisions we took and enacted were a statement about the scale of the crisis - it is in no way a statement on the performance of the state and territory agencies,' the prime minister told reporters in Canberra.

'There was a breakdown of communications at the defence liaison level with the headquarters yesterday. We've addressed any issues that have arisen from that.'

Mr Fitzsimmons said the RFS requires financial commitment from the government to make long-term plans to ensure the safety of the state

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she was told of the prime minister's announcement before it was made.

Later in Nowra, Mr Morrison said he would work to have better communications with Mr Fitzsimmons and Ms Berejiklian.

'We have had that discussion and the communications have been addressed,' Mr Morrison told reporters.

Defence Minister Linda Reynolds said it was up to state leaders to inform the rest of the public service.

'How states then advise their own bureaucrats is an issue for them,' Senator Reynolds told reporters in Canberra.

Mr Morrison on Sunday shrugged off questions about his leadership during the national bushfire crisis.

'There has been plenty of criticism but I can't be distracted by that,' he said.

'The public, I know, are not distracted by that.'

He also defended a much-criticised video posted on the Liberal Party's Twitter account detailing the federal bushfire response. Critics have labelled it 'shameless' and a breach of political advertising rules.

Earlier this week Mr Morrison (centre) toured fire grounds in East Gippsland, Victoria, with local Nationals MP Darren Chester (right)

Fires are currently burning out of control across three states - Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia

'It wasn't a Liberal Party-sponsored ad, it was authorised by me. I'm the leader of the Liberal Party,' Mr Morrison told reporters.

Mr Morrison said he would 'reject absolutely' any suggestion the video was a political advertisement.

'The postings that we've made have been to inform the community about what the Commonwealth government has been doing.'

British broadcaster Piers Morgan said the video was a 'self-promotional commercial with cheesy elevator music'.

'This is one of the most tone-deaf things I've ever seen a country's leader put out during a crisis. Shameless & shameful,' he posted on Twitter.

Scott Morrison was seen forcing 20-year-old mum Zoey Salucci-McDermott to shake his hand when visiting fire ravaged Cobargo, NSW

A mega-blaze ripped through Bilpin and the Blue Mountains on December 21 with intense heat and speed

The Australia Defence Association - a non-partisan public-interest watchdog - accused the government of breaching rules around political advertising.

'Party-political advertising milking ADF support to civil agencies fighting bushfires is a clear breach of the (reciprocal) non-partisanship convention applying to both the ADF & Ministers/MPs,' the association tweeted.

Former prime minister Kevin Rudd was also outraged.

'On a day we have catastrophic fire conditions, in the midst of a genuine national crisis, Morrison, the marketing guy, does what? He releases a Liberal Party ad! He is no longer fit to hold the high office of prime minister,' Mr Rudd tweeted.

Mr Morrison has also been criticised for not acting sooner to bolster the nation's firefighting capabilities and for going on holiday to Hawaii during the crisis.