The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Canberra and much of southern NSW on Thursday afternoon and evening with the possibility of large hail stones.
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Severe thunderstorms were likely to produce heavy rainfall which may lead to flash flooding, large hailstones and damaging winds over the next several hours, the BOM said.
The storm is likely to hit the Southern Tablelands, Snowy Mountains, ACT and parts of the Illawarra, South Coast, Central Tablelands and South West Slopes districts including Bowral, Braidwood, Bathurst, Canberra, Goulburn and Cooma.
Lightning strikes started at least five bush fires around Canberra shortly after the storm warning was issued.
The ACT Rural Fire Service were alerted to a fire in the Kowen Pine Forest off Sutton Road at 5.24pm.
It was believed to be a grass fire, an Emergency Services Agency spokesman said.
Another fire was found around 7pm when a single tree caught alight in the forest.
Over the border at 5.30pm, the NSW Rural Fire Service were alerted to a fire near Wanna Wanna Road at Carwoola, about 10 kilometres south-east of Queanbeyan.
A Queanbeyan RFS spokesman said they were still investigating the fire, but lightning had caused three other small blazes including a single tree fire on Hoskinstown Road near Bungendore and a small fire on Old Cooma Road at Googong as of 7.15pm.
He was hopeful rain would continue to help emergency crews fighting the fires.
In other parts of NSW severe thunderstorms were expected to produce damaging winds in the South West Slopes, Riverina, Upper Western and parts of the Southern Tablelands, Central West Slopes and Plains and Lower Western districts including Wagga Wagga, Albury, Hay, Tibooburra, Cobar and Broken Hill.
The State Emergency Service advises people to move cars under cover or away from trees, secure loose items around the house and yard in the lead up to the storm and unplug computers and appliances and avoid using the phone and stay indoors away from windows during the storm.
They should also keep clear of fallen power lines, creeks and storm drain, avoid flood water and ring 000 if they need to be rescued.
For emergency help in floods and storms, ring the SES in NSW and the ACT on 132 500.
