Weather conditions have started to ease in northern New South Wales where firefighters continue to battle two fires that have burnt through nearly 60,000 hectares of bushland.

Key points: The emergency warnings were downgraded to advice on Saturday night

The emergency warnings were downgraded to advice on Saturday night Up to 20 homes had been under threat from the Drake fire

Up to 20 homes had been under threat from the Drake fire Residents are being advised to monitor conditions

An easterly change has pushed a fire burning in Drake near Tenterfield away from homes at risk in Red Rock. The Kingsgate fire has been downgraded to advice.

An out of control blaze in the Brother State Forest, which was moving towards Wytaliba, has also been downgraded to advice.

James Morris from the Rural Fire Service said cooler temperatures and rain over the next few days will provide some relief.

"We're likely to see showers north of Sydney all the way up to the north coast but only bringing with it anywhere between one and three millimetres across the fire ground so no ease in firefighters minds yet," he said.

Residents have been asked to continue to monitor conditions and follow their bushfire survival plan.

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A large water-bombing aircraft has been dispatched to the area. The Bruxner Highway remains closed between Drake and Sandy Hill.

The fire at Long Gully Road was downgraded to Advice on Saturday night.

Residents in Newton Boyd and Wytaliba are being advised to monitor for embers. The RFS is advising that residents follow their bushfire survival plan.

Old Grafton Road is closed between the Gwydir Highway and Henry River Bridge at Newton Boyd.

The Rural Fire Service earlier said the wind change moving through northern parts of the state could be both a blessing and a curse.

Speaking from the fireground in Drake, North coast RFS Group Captain Mark Egglington said crews will be watching the wind closely on Saturday evening.

"It's good in one way, it will stop it coming back towards Drake which is where our helicopters are working at the moment trying to slow it down," he said.

"But it will push it back towards Roma Park which it will probably impact sometimes tomorrow I would say, so we've just go to wait and see and put strategies in place to deal with that."

Weatherzone meteorologist Hannah Wilson said the dry weather conditions have led to an early start to fire season.

"It's unusual for this time of year, it's early on for the fire season to start," she said.

"But we have seen some warm temperatures with clear skies and strong winds so it's not unusual to see fires occurring in those conditions."