For much of Thursday Rael and Sue Thomas sat mesmerised, concerned and watching thick smoke cloud the Forster sky as a fire pushed towards their The Southern Parkway home.

"We had packed a few things just in case," Sue said.

"Every now and then a thick plume of black smoke came up," she said.

In between watching the unfolding drama the couple had been hosing down both their home and neighbours' houses (after they had evacuated the scene).

And, then suddenly, with little warning the bushfire was at their front doorstep.

"It sounded like 10 freight trains," Rael said.

"At first I thought it was a helicopter; I half expected one to pop out of the burning bush."

With not time to waste, Rael drove the the couple's campervan to safety - just five minutes up the road, while a stubborn Sue remained behind hosing down spot fires caused by flying embers.

"I have never felt heat like that or heard noise like that before," she said.

Rael returned after parking the vehicle in Boundary Street, stamping out spot fires along the way with his extra thick, trusty camping Crocs.

"I was so pleased to see her (Sue) safe when I got back," he said.

As quickly as the fire came past their home, it was over.

We got the first NSWRFS emergency bushfire warning text at 4.31pm and the fire was gone by 5pm, Sue said.

And, the north westerly winds which had been blowing all day suddenly dropped.

Despite the close call the couple has no plans to relocate.

That burn-off will last a couple of years, they said.