It was just another family holiday for Cameron Steinmetz, Mitch Power, Matt Veitch, Beau Clemson and Matt and Jake Waters when suddenly fire authorities told them they needed to ready themselves for evacuation as the bushfire closed in on Batemans Bay.

But after noticing local residents in a panic trying to save their homes from burning down, Mr Steinmetz said pitching in was just the right thing to do.

"We saw an elderly lady and man out the front of their house running around and gave them a hand until they were alright and went to the house and so on, so on," he said.

Within 20 minutes of being told to evacuate, the group came face-to-face with the "huge" flames that burned about 400 metres away from them.

"It is so hard to describe the amount of adrenaline running through you at the time," Mr Steinmetz said.

"There were gas bottles blowing up on the houses.

"It is so scary how fast (the fire) moves, and until you see it in real life."

A wind change brought the fire back on top of itself forcing the Wagga group and Batemans Bay locals to flea for their safety before returning an hour later to see if the homes were still standing.

Mr Steinmetz said they managed to save about eight homes, but unfortunately three were lost on that street.

"We were just running around putting out spot fires in the yards," he said.

The group safely returned back to Wagga yesterday, with huge respect for all the work firefighters do, Mr Steinmetz said.

"My heart goes out to the firefighters who are doing what they are doing because it is so hard to explain," he said.

"It is so different to seeing the news ... until you are there and experience the heat, the wind, the smoke in your eyes. It's so hard to breathe and everyone is in a panic."