Firefighters are battling a significant bushfire on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, which has already scorched several hundred hectares since it ignited yesterday.

Authorities have cautioned that the situation remains critical as efforts to control the blaze in Bulahdelah continue into another day.

Inhabitants of Crawford River have been advised that it is now too perilous to evacuate, prompting them to seek immediate refuge.

“A towering wall of flames advanced up the driveway, and I realized it was time to retreat, so I headed to the shed,” shared one local resident.

Ugo Tolone, the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) District Manager, described the fire’s current state as “quite severe.”

He explained, “The fire is raging through dense tea tree vegetation, generating substantial smoke and advancing rapidly.”

“We are concerned with this fire at the moment, and we are doing everything we can to make the footprint as small as possible.”

The fire is in a rural area comprised mostly of farmhouses and sheds, which the RFS says are under threat.

The fire is also causing delays on the M1 Pacific Highway, with just one lane open for almost 100km in both directions and a 60km speed limit.

Temperatures in the high 30s are expected to continue tomorrow.