Under the threat of fire, 945 houses were saved while one person, 63-year-old Johns River resident Julie Fletcher, died.

Taree Lions Club and Rotary Club of Taree on Manning's bush fire relief program has begun to identify those in need.

The Rotary club's projects manager Maurie Stack said the clubs have compiled a list of 80 families who lost their homes. The remainder are encouraged to contact either club for assistance.

As a long-standing resident of the Manning, the news is a shock to the system.

"In my lifetime I have not known any catastrophe like this in the Mid Coast area," Mr Stack said.

The clubs' joint relief fund continues to grow.

Dozens of Eftpos cards have been ordered and will soon be distributed directly to bush fire victims.

As the clubs hope more families will come forward, more cash donations are needed.

"We need all of the financial support we can get," Mr Stack said.

The clean-up from the bush fire crisis is well underway. Some of the most devastated communities in the region such as Bobin, Killabakh, Hillville and Johns River received a helping hand last weekend when a contingent of tradesmen made the trip up from Sydney to repair infrastructure.

They were split into teams to repair fences at 26 different properties. Their efforts have put volunteer organisation BlazeAid's repair work at least two months ahead of schedule.

With the immediate threat of bush fires in the rear view mirror, Rural Fire Service (RFS) crews have now turned their attention to fires started by lightning strikes.

A thunderstorm on the afternoon of Monday, November 25 brought with it much needed rain in addition to a number of strikes.

On Tuesday morning (November 26), crews were on the ground in Tea Gardens and Cabbage Tree Road (north-west of Bulahdelah) to extinguish grass fires.

There was also a grass fire on the Pacific Highway at Jones Island (north of Cundletown), which crews swiftly brought under control.