Residents in a suburban area on the New South Wales South Coast have been advised that it is now too late to evacuate as a bushfire rapidly approaches.

The blaze is perilously close, just a few hundred meters from various homes, including the Coastal Waters Retirement Village in Worrowing Heights. The village, home to around 500 residents, has confirmed to 9News that they are currently sheltering in place.

At approximately 4:20 p.m. today, an emergency warning was issued for Sanctuary Point in Worrowing Heights, located in the Shoalhaven region, as the area experiences windy and scorching weather conditions.

The alert starkly warns, “If you are in the Worrowing Heights area, you are in danger. It is now too late to leave.”

Residents are urged to “seek shelter now inside a solid structure such as a house.”

Fire fighters and water bombing aircraft are attacking the blaze, which flared up in the past two hours, fuelled by gusty, unpredictable winds.

Swampy, dense bushland is making it challenging for crews but they are doing everything they can to protect lives and homes.

Those in the nearby areas of Sanctuary Point, Old Erowal Bay and Erowal Bay are told to prepare now.

Firefighters are currently working to slow the spread of the fire, but the wind threatens to blow embers long distances.

Temperatures hit 27 degrees in the area on Sunday afternoon, with winds up to 13km an hour.