Updated August 19, 2018 16:01:34

An emergency warning has been issued as the Salt Ash bushfire, in New South Wales' Hunter region, intensifies again.

Strong westerly winds, currently up to 60 km/h, are fanning the blaze, which has jumped containment lines, and is pushing towards houses on Rookes Road, Lemon Tree Passage Road and Brownes Road.

Residents who remain in this area have been advised it is too late to leave and have been warned to take shelter as the fire approaches.

Multiple crews are establishing property protection and helicopters are continuing water bombing as embers create spot fires around the fire ground, ahead of the main fire front.

Photo: A helicopter water bombs a fire off Lemon Tree Pass Road, south of Tanilba Bay. (ABC News: Nancy Notzon)

The RFS said fire activity was "slowly starting to ease, however there is still some erratic fire behaviour on the southern part of the fire".

Jane Hollier, a media officer with the RFS, said more than 200 fire fighters from the RFS, NSW Fire and Rescue, rural fire service, fire and rescue NSW and the state's National Parks and Wildlife Service were taking on blazes around Salt Ash.

"In addition to that we have five aircrafts supporting those fire fighters on the ground," Ms Hollier said.

She said they were supporting approximately 70 properties in the area.

Emergency alert telephone messages have been sent to people in the area and a main exit road, Lemon Tree Passage Road, has been closed.

The out of control bushfire has destroyed more than 1800 hectares.

Photo: Strong winds have hampered efforts by firefighters to contain the blaze. (ABC News: Nancy Notzon)

Salt Ash was in an emergency state last night, but was downgraded back to advice at around 4am this morning.

Strong winds around midday have pushed it back to emergency level.

Firefighters spent the night undertaking tactical and backburn operations in an attempt to take advantage of the easing conditions.

There have been no confirmed reports of any loss or damage to property.

The airport at Williamtown, west of the fireground, still remains open and operational at this stage.

As of this morning, there are about 82 bush and grass fires burning across the state.

Firefighters will continue working to contain fires burning in Port Stephens, Shoalhaven and Bega.

The RFS said windy conditions are not expected to ease up until Wednesday, which means some areas will remain Very High fire danger.

Topics: disasters-and-accidents, fires, salt-ash-2318, nsw

First posted August 19, 2018 12:59:52