Stupid yes, but judging by the queue at the service station I was not the only one.

While my journalism instinct was to stay, watch and report, my survival instinct was to drive home to Glenlyon, collect the dogs and get the hell out.

Instinct won.

It may have seemed an over-reaction but I had interviewed people from Marysville who had left almost too late - and watched too much television from Black Saturday to care what others thought.

At Glenlyon we packed a small bag, grabbed the laptop, and headed to Malmsbury.

We sat in the car, outside the police station, and listened to the ABC.

After about an hour, we knew we didn't want to go back, and went to Kyneton to find accommodation.

We were refused at the first place - because we had two dogs.

We explained they were house trained, no trouble, and our only other option was probably sleeping in the car. No go.

The second place, the Kyneton Caravan Park, immediately pushed a key across the reception counter.

"Unit 3 is all yours," Paul, I think his name was, said.

"We have dogs," I replied. "Yep, no problems," he said.

"How much do I owe you," I asked. "Nothing."

And true to his word, Paul refused to accept any payment for the use of the ensuite cabin, where we spent a fairly sleepless night answering calls from friends and relatives and making calls to check on others in our community.

We drove back about 7am, via the Kyneton Town Hall, where others from Glenlyon, Woodend, Wheatsheaf and Coomoora, had camped.

The emergency workers there offered us a welcome hot coffee, showed us a map of the fire affected region, and told us which roads were closed.

Back in Glenlyon, there was the smell of smoke, but no apparent damage.

We met up with neighbours who had also returned and checked on the bloke over the road. He was fine.

We knew the Malmsbury-Daylesford Rd was closed somewhere so took a back road, avoiding the bush and keeping a keen eye out for spot fires, into town.

As I write this, it's still not over. There are waterbombing aircraft over Glenlyon, and I hear the fire is turning around towards Mt Franklin. And then there's Friday.

Stay safe - and fill your tank.