‘Too late to leave’: Residents told to shelter immediately as to bushfire burns south of Sydney

Locals in a suburb on the NSW South Coast are being told it is too late to leave as a bushfire approaches.

The fire is just a couple of hundred of metres from homes including a retirement village, Coastal Waters Retirement Village in Worrowing Heights, which has told 9News its 500 residents are sheltering in place.

An emergency warning was issued for Sanctuary Point in Worrowing Heights in Shoalhaven about 4.20pm today amid windy and hot weather.

Locals in a suburb south of Sydney are being told it is too late to leave as a bushfire approaches, with helicopters collecting water. (Supplied)

“If you are in the Worrowing Heights area, you are in danger. It is now too late to leave,” the warning reads.

“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.