NSW residents are being told to get ready for a searing heatwave this weekend that will bring with it a high to severe risk of fires.

The Bureau of Meteorology said the mercury would hit the 30s on Thursday and Friday and soar to 40-plus degrees in some areas on Saturday and Sunday.

Parts of western NSW face days of temperatures in the mid to high-40s.

“This will increase the fire risk across much of state with Very High and Severe fire danger likely on the weekend. Plan and prepare now,” the NSW Rural Fire Service tweeted on Thursday.

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The BOM noted temperatures would be up to 10 to 16 degrees above the average across the state for this time of the year.

“NSW will not be spared with temperatures climbing easily into the mid-40s for vast swathes of the western part of the state and even into the low 40s for some coastal areas,” meteorologist Helen Reid said.

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The heatwave would likely continue into Monday or Tuesday in some parts of the state, with extremely hot daytime temperatures and little relief overnight.

Hot winds are moving across the state from inland Australia and increasing the fire risk, particularly in the Northern Rivers region and northwest of the Great Dividing Range.

“It will also be quite windy so we are keeping a close eye on the fire danger which is associated with this warm, heatwave situation,” Ms Reid said.

“It is going to be quite a volatile situation.”