Update 7.55pm: Carrai East fire near Willawarrin west of Kempsey.
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The out of control fire burning towards Kempsey has a "strong likelihood" to have destroyed homes and more properties remain under threat.
RFS public liaison officer Dave Nicholson told the Argus the blaze, which remains at an emergency level, is spreading very quickly and has caused damage to local properties.
"Under the conditions we have faced today, there is a strong likelihood there has been a loss of homes," Mr Nicholson said.
"But we won't know the full damage until we send in a impact analysis team when the fire is under control."
The fire is threatening more than a dozen homes in Collombatti and houses on Willi Willi Rd and Armidale Rd, as the blaze's activity increases in the north-eastern side.
The Carrai East fire has spread more than 11km in an easterly direction from the containment lines it broke at 1.30pm today.
Earlier:
RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons has urged residents west of Kempsey to focus on their safety.
"There is a large fire still burning intensely to the west of Kempsey, communities in the Lower Creek area are to seek shelter as fire approaches," he said.
Conditions have improved this evening as the temperature has decreased and the humidity increased, but Mr Nicholson said the wind remains a challenge for firefighters.
"The winds are still quite strong and are travelling steadily at about 15km/hr," he said.
"Conditions may continue to improve but they will worsen as we approach midnight and the southerly change in wind arrives.
"It will move the fire in a northerly direction and there is potential for more houses to become under threat."
Mr Nicholson encourages locals to remain vigilant into the night.
"The change in conditions could pose a threat to people who think they are in the clear, the fire will move in another direction to the north and people need to be aware of this and make plans," he said.
"The fire activity will increase at around midnight."
Mr Nicholson said there have been no reports of injuries from the fires in the local region.
