Victorian authorities are ramping up efforts to reach and evacuate cut-off communities in East Gippsland, where 28 people remain missing after destructive bushfires tore through the region.

Key points: Remote communities across the region are either evacuating in convoys or preparing to stay and defend

Remote communities across the region are either evacuating in convoys or preparing to stay and defend In one isolated town, several residents are relying on a single shared radio at the general store

In one isolated town, several residents are relying on a single shared radio at the general store For the latest information, visit the Vic Emergency website

Premier Daniel Andrews said 24 Victorian communities were still isolated by bushfires on Thursday afternoon.

Rescue crews were battling to clear roads to reach them so they could evacuate before the risk increased this weekend, he said.

Nine satellite phones had also been dropped into other isolated communities.

This morning, Mr Andrews said the number of people missing in bushfire-affected areas in Victoria had risen from 17 to 28.

"I can confirm today that as at 9:30am, there are 28 people that we cannot locate, and we are very concerned about their wellbeing," Mr Andrews told a press conference in Melbourne.

Earlier, a body found in a home at Buchan was identified as 67-year-old Mick Roberts.

Fires have isolated the East Gippsland community of Cann River. ( Facebook: Sherylle Holster )

Thirty-nine firefighters from North America landed in Melbourne on Thursday afternoon to join the battle to control the East Gippsland blazes.

The charity group Need for Feed has also organised fodder to be dropped across East Gippsland to help isolated farmers trying to stop their livestock from starving.

On Friday morning some of the 4,000 people trapped in the coastal town of Mallacoota were transported to a Navy ship that arrived in the area the previous day.

They will be evacuated from Mallacoota to Western Port, at Hastings on the Mornington Peninsula, a journey that is expected to take 17 hours.

A contingent of 39 firefighters from North America has landed in Melbourne to help fight the East Gippsland blazes. ( AAP: Julian Smith )

Dirt-road convoy gets out of Cann River

A convoy of 46 cars and a bus left Cann River on Thursday afternoon after residents were told trying to leave on Saturday would be extremely dangerous.

The convoy, which included emergency vehicles, was able to leave after crews cleared an old dirt track out of town.

Alison Rainey, who owns a local cafe, said they were all headed to the town of Orbost.

She said some residents who were undecided about leaving had opted to join the convoy after they were told at a briefing that Saturday would be an extremely dangerous day for the town.

The Cann River P12 College kept the community safe when bushfires approached. ( Supplied: Joe Stephens )

Ms Rainey — who has decided to stay in Cann River — said her 10-year-old son was with his father in Bonnie Doon.

"Now that the town population has plummeted there's plenty [of food] to go around," she told ABC Statewide Drive.

She said she planned to take shelter in the school if things worsened.

"I feel confident that the school will be fine, that we will be protected here, I have no doubt about that."

Massive smoke plumes could be seen over Bemm River on Thursday afternoon. ( ABC News: Ben Jaensch )

Nowa Nowa residents share single radio

Further west, several residents in Nowa Nowa have been relying on a single shared radio at a general store to monitor bushfire warnings.

Nowa Nowa General Store owner Sandra Huggins said the town was confronted by a "massive wall of fire" on Tuesday. She is now concerned about what will happen this weekend.

"Our community hasn't had power since Monday evening," she said.

"Because we have no power or phones or internet we're not getting any of the emergency warnings.

"If we got out of town a few Ks, we all of sudden get 'ping, ping, pings' and all these messages.

"It's a bit disconcerting to learn you're on Watch and Act, which you didn't even know."

A passing tradie left them with a decent radio, which is now located in the only part of town with reception — in the car park outside the store.

"We don't get radio reception in our store or in our house," Ms Huggins said.

Sandra Huggins said the radio at the general store was one of the few sources of information from outside the town. ( ABC News: Nicole Asher )

"That's our only contact with what's happening, we have no idea otherwise.

"It's very scary, especially with what happened on Monday night and what may happen."

In the meantime, the community is cooking up the food from their defrosting freezers at a barbecue outside the shop.

"We're happy to feed anyone who wants to come and eat it," Ms Huggins said.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 1 minute 31 seconds 1 m 31 s Entire streets of homes were reduced to rubble in Mallacoota.

Those left in Genoa will face the fires alone

Just north-west of Mallacoota, the small community of Genoa has found itself completely cut off from Victorian authorities as a result of the fires.

CFA chief officer Steve Warrington said Victorian firefighters had asked their NSW counterparts to help, but even they could not reach the town.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 2 minutes 13 seconds 2 m 13 s CFA Chief Officer Steve Warrington says authorities are working to rescue thousands of Victorians trapped by bushfires.

He said a police officer had driven from Eden through the fire to get into Genoa and help the community as it was hit by the same blaze that devastated Mallacoota.

On Wednesday, authorities said about 100 people were trapped in Genoa.

David Sykes, who runs the nearby Wallagaraugh River Retreat, said he told his 56 guests to leave the holiday park on Sunday.

He said properties in the area had been destroyed, but most residents had already fled over the border to Eden.

"That is very, very sad, because as much as the fire out in the open has died down and is under control and in private land, you know, now the sad stories are starting to come out," he said.

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Orbost serving as a point of refuge

The town of Orbost, which sits between Bairnsdale and Mallacoota, is serving as the main point of refuge for people leaving some of East Gippsland's more remote communities.

But some people remain trapped in remote communities to the north, such as Goongerah and Bonang.

Further west, a major relief centre at the Bairnsdale saleyards has been filling up with bushfire evacuees and about 250 horses.

East Gippsland Mayor John White said a backup centre may be needed at the local racecourse.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 22 seconds 22 s Bushfires tore through East Gippsland this week and are expected to flare again this weekend.

Metung told 'we need to evacuate'

Victorian authorities have told communities to the south and south-east of the Bairnsdale complex of fires that they are under threat and should leave as soon as possible before this weekend's weather hits.

That message was hardened by Metung CFA Captain Trevor Blundell on Thursday, who told a local meeting that the town needed to be evacuated.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 1 minute 3 seconds 1 m 3 s Metung CFA Captain Trevor Blundell told people they were 'not safe'.

"We are not safe in Metung. We are not safe in Metung. We need to evacuate this town," he told a crowd through a speaker on one of the brigade's trucks.

"Holidaymakers, residents, all these people in front of me looking at me, we need to leave Metung."