More than a week after their little town became cut off by fire, a group of residents from Cann River, in East Gippsland, have finally been able to leave, telling the ABC about the "Armageddon" they faced.

Emergency services led 13 cars on a two-hour journey along back roads to the larger town of Orbost yesterday afternoon, where the group had to restock on essential supplies before returning home.

But many more cars would later return with them to Cann River.

After a week of isolation, families separated by bushfire were finally being reunited.

One of the most upbeat residents was firefighter Max Kalz, who spoke to the ABC outside the Orbost supermarket.

Max Kalz was smiling after finally getting into Orbost and loading up on supplies. ( ABC News: Billy Draper )

He was simply amazed to have survived.

"I am surprised I am here to tell the story, I am surprised that no-one was hurt," he said.

Last week he was frightened for just the second time in his life when he saw "a big wall of flames" coming at him.

Mr Kalz was part of a team of local firefighters that was protecting the school at Cann River, where residents sheltered while waiting for embers to come at them.

His dog "went into the battle" with him against the fires.

Mr Kalz said he only went inside the school when he realised he didn't have a hazard jacket, because "they wouldn't fit".

Residents sheltered from the fire in the the Cann River P12 College. ( Supplied: Joe Stephens )

But smiles aside, Mr Kalz admits the community got lucky.

"It was just a miracle, the fire went right around us," he said.

Mr Kalz said residents had been frustrated when the emergency service effort appeared to be focused on Mallacoota, while Cann River residents remained trapped in the days after the fire.

He said the community celebrated when helicopters started dropping off supplies.

"You can't get in, you can't get out and they are coming in by air, that was just something really special," he said.

'I really couldn't cope'

Robyn Sturgess from the nearby town of Bemm River was able to leave her home late on Friday afternoon, and was joining the convoy to return to her husband.

She said it was the first time in their 32-year marriage that they had been apart for five days.

Ms Sturgess said it was stressful kissing her husband goodbye, fearing they would not see each other again.

Robyn Sturgess feared she might never see her husband again. ( ABC News: Billy Draper )

She decided to leave ahead of Saturday's hot weather, saying the stress of the situation had started to affect her.

"I got to the stage where I really couldn't cope anymore and it was really very hard to leave on Friday afternoon under the conditions and the emotions for everyone," she said.

She believes fire got to within a couple of kilometres of her property before she left.

Ms Sturgess said the town felt isolated during its close call with disaster.

"We just felt, 'hey we are down here guys, have you forgotten about us?'" she said.

When a strike team of extra firefighters arrived last Thursday, Ms Sturgess said she couldn't help but feel emotional.

"I felt like collapsing, I think I really nearly did collapse into one of their arms," she said.

Cann River was bathed in an eerie orange glow as the fire bore down on the community. ( Facebook: Alison Rainey )

For Ms Sturgess it has been an exhausting start to the year, where days have blended into one another, marked by a separation from her husband and home.

She is upset that more hazard reduction burning was not done before this season of fire disasters.

It's a concern echoed by disaster survivors in many communities, but one that's dismissed by the Country Fire Authority's chief officer Steve Warrington.

"Some of the hysteria that this will be the solution to all our problems is really just quite an emotional load of rubbish, to be honest," he said on Tuesday.

Anthony Stephenson left Cann River with his son before the fire arrived and was stuck outside his community for a week. ( ABC News: Billy Draper )

Anthony Stephenson left with his son before the fire arrived in Cann River assuming they would be able to return, but he had been trapped outside his community for a week.

He joined the convoy back to Cann River from Orbost, where he anticipated the power cut would have left a mess.

"I just cant wait to get home to clean it all up, to clean out the fridge and freezer," he said.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said at least 200 homes had been confirmed lost statewide in the bushfires but that number was expected to rise to 300 when assessment teams completed their work.

The number of homes lost in Cann River is not yet known because assessment teams have not been allowed in.

Residents couldn't go outside due to ash

The one thing Chrystal Hall missed when they were stuck in town was fresh fruit and vegetables. ( ABC News: Billy Draper )

Chrystal Hall and her family spoke to the ABC from the Orbost football oval, where they were waiting for an escort back home.

They had been trapped in Cann River for the past week and had taken shelter in the school during the fire.

She said the town battled with only its local CFA and some travelling police officers.

"We were all down at the hall, some people with their animals and you couldn't go outside at times because the ash was falling," she said.

Once the fire passed, the local school bus driver said her family went without power for six days.

"All hot water is electric so [we are] running out of hot water and [have] no lights," Ms Hall said.

She said a gas pizza oven got her family through the blackout but there were some foods she really missed in the last week.

"Just the fresh fruit and vegetables and salads, I was hanging for something green by the end of this week," she said.

With the weather expected to again spike later this week, Ms Hall said she was returning home hopeful that the worst was already in the past for her small community.