EVACUATED Gippsland residents and their pets were taking refuge at the Sale recreation centre tonight from the bushfires raging nearby. 

Briagolong resident Greg Hocking had to use a taxi to evacuate with his dog Nugget at 4am Friday morning.

Mr Hocking said he always left early if there was any chance of fire threat.

“I have always left early, people say I over react, but I don’t think that’s the case,” Mr Hocking said.

“I got out by Taxi, but they game us a discount.”

Coongulla resident Ugene Hovjacky was looking after his daughter’s dog Speck at the relief centre, while she was in the Heyfield hospital.

He left at 4.45 am this morning with Speck and had not yet been able to speak with his daughter to let her know they were both safe.

Mr Hovjacky said the fire came up quickly after he left his Coongulla home along Millers Road.

“By the time I got to Newry the fire brigade officer on duty showed me that the embers were all on Millers Road

“The fire brigade were fighting an awful fire, there we just so many embers.”

He said Speck was stressed and refusing food, but he was pleased they had got out and would stay the night in Sale in a caravan park tonight.