A Salvation Army spokesman asked that people hold on to their donations until a public appeal was made so that goods could be directed to those who needed them most when they need them.

EARLIER: Offers of help have been flooding into Warrnambool’s relief centre where about 120 people sheltered overnight to escape numerous blazes that swept the region.

Moyne Shire emergency relief centre coordinator Ebony Perrin said they had been overwhelmed by offers of support and help, but asked that people bring any donations to the Salvation Army not the Arc stadium.

“We just wanted to express how grateful we are to the community. We’ve had overwhelming offers of support,” Ms Perrin said.

“We’ve had Chitticks Pies bring in hundreds of pies, we’ve had a pregnant ladies bring in their newborn nappies and wet wipes.

“We’ve had kids come in who are donating their toys.

“We really ask that you can take it to the Salvation Army who are helping us to provide people who have lost everything with clothes and the basic goods that we need.”

A Salvation Army truck was dispatched from Ballarat overnight with enough bedding for 300 people.

They unloaded bedding for 50 people in Camperdown and because roads were blocked, they took the scenic route to Warrnambool where they were unloading supplies and bedding.

Ms Perrin said they were expecting up to 200 people to seek shelter at the Arc Stadium today.

Hannah Knight was evacuated from Timboon and spent the night sleeping in her car at the Perterborough lookout with about 200 other people doing the same thing.

She said they decided to come to Warrnambool’s emergency relief centre this morning.

“It was pretty scary conditions, there were trees down everywhere,” Ms Knight said. 

“We actually came across one car that had been smashed into by a tree.

“We had to assist that lady getting out of her car.

“It was a pretty simple call for us to leave because we were concerned our road was going to be blocked.

“We haven’t be able to go back to our property but we’ve learnt that it is safe.”

“Ms Knight said she had been concerned about friends who lived near Brucknell and Terang, but found out on Sunday that they were OK.

“Our friends sheltered in their friend’s dairy overnight but we’ve heard that they are safe and checking their livestock this morning,” she said.

“We’re glad everyone is safe and we’re very grateful to the emergency services workers who are putting in their time and all the volunteers.”

Tammy Martin said she was home sick last night when she got a call from her partner and was told to be ready to leave in five minutes.

“The next thing I knew my partner and a worker were there banging on my window saying: ‘Let’s go. Fire’.

While her partner was driving to pick her up from her home on Occupation Lane at Garvoc, a tree fell on the car and broke the windscreen.

“Then when we were leaving another tree fell down and our car ran over it. It fell right in front of the car,” she said.

She was seeking relief at Warrnambool’s Arc stadium with her children and was still waiting to hear from her partner who was out in the fire region.

Garvoc’s Christina Lawler, who also sought shelter at the Arc, said they noticed the fire after being unable to sleep because of the noise which they at first thought was a loud truck.

“We got our cat and rang our boss said told him there was a fire,” she said.

“The wind, we could see it coming across and then all of a sudden the wind changed to our direction and I said to the boss ‘it’s coming straight for us’.”

She said the safest thing was to leave and seek shelter with the 120 other people at Warrnambool’s Arc stadium.

“We went out to the ute to try and sleep in there, it was just too cold,” she said.

She said they wouldn’t know if the property had been affected until the roads were reopened.