NSW bushfire emergency warning downgraded

An emergency warning to residents near Grafton in northern NSW over an out-of-control bushfire has been downgraded to advice.

NSW firefighters are battling more than 65 blazes statewide, with 35 uncontained as of 6pm on Saturday.

An emergency warning for a large fire at Kangaroo Creek, near Grafton, was issued earlier on Saturday.

However the fire - spanning more than 416 hectares - was at advice level at just before 8pm.

The fire is burning in a south-easterly direction and the threat to homes and properties have eased, the NSW RFS says.

Firefighters remain in position to protect homes if required.

Residents in the vicinity of Sandstone Drive and McGills Rd at Kremnos should continue to monitor the situation.

About 100km south, firefighters are in position to protect homes from a bushfire at Verges Creek near Kempsey.

The fire sparked an emergency warning on Saturday before that was downgraded to a watch-and-act alert.

The threat to homes and properties on Loftus Road in the vicinity of Richardsons Crossing has eased, the RFS says.

Strong southeasterly winds fanned the blaze over the Belmore River and Lotus Road, east of Kempsey, and into the beachside Hat Head National Park.

The out-of-control blaze had torched almost 400 hectares by 2.15pm.