Cane fires are still an ongoing tradition in some parts of NSW and Queensland.
Even on days of total fire bans, they continue to light up the cane fields across the coastal river valleys of northern NSW.
It's one of the agricultural practices exempt from the ban, at least during the hours of 7pm to 7am, with a permit, and only for pre-harvest burning.
Tim McMahon farms 320 hectares of cane across three islands on the Clarence River: Chatsworth, Harwood and Ashby.
"It's probably not the best conditions to burn with the fire bans going on at the moment, and the road right next to the fire, but that's life," he said.
He says the restricted hours on total fire ban days can make burning difficult.
"Especially when you're relying on a certain wind, it's there during the day but after 7pm it doesn't suit, so those times get a little bit hard," he said.
Several people are needed to light and control a burn, and the farmers usually help each other out.
Tim says they burn up to about three days out from harvest.
"Well the heavier crops you need to get rid of the material in the crop so it can be harvested and go through the machines and go through the mill," he said.
Tim says that until there's technology capable of processing two-year-old cane as it is, the fires will continue.