More than 400 lifesavers made up the field of the event where Monday night discussions had been around shifting stage three into Wagonga Inlet at Narooma due to poor surf.

However, by 4.30am after blazes ripped through Cobargo, Quaama and surrounds, word spread and crews soon made the decision to call off the marathon before quickly finding themselves involved in major evacuations.

"Going to bed, our biggest concern had been where we were going to row due to the surf, but I was woken up early by a call from my parents saying they were being evacuated from Cobargo," Bermagui member Sue Hunt said.

And as realisations quickly set in of the overnight impact, the race was called off by daybreak with several crews rushing to Bermagui to aid in evacuations.

"It was about 4.30 in the morning the realisation of how bad it was," Tathra president Peter George said.

The Bermagui Surf Life Saving Club quickly becoming a safe haven and information hub.

At one time thousands of people were clustered around the club, absorbing information from emergency broadcasts and community briefings.

"Bermagui, Bulli, Pambula and Tathra crews all played a reasonable part in aiding in those evacuations," Mr George said, who himself had raced back to work as a local Police Officer.

FSC Director of Lifesaving of the Bermagui club said George Bass crews were remarkable given the strenuous situation.

"I had got the call to open the club about 3am Tuesday morning," she said "and by 6am there were thousands there."

Cheryl understands those that could evacuate Cobargo and Coolagolite were told to head for Bermagui on the coast and hundreds of people were rolling in.

"We had about 150 rowers and support crew from the George Bass and they were all lending us aid," she said.

"Every club down there, they got organised and each team sent delegates to meet with us and see what we needed and those with medical experience came up to the clubhouse to help," Cheryl said. "They just jumped in."

Support boats were also quickly positioned close to shore as avenues of water evacuation.

Further north, Bass rowers were also influential in the evacuations at Narooma where 4000 people reached the evacuation centre quickly as news unfolded.

Narooma Lifesavers have played an ongoing role in the operation of the centre as well, while Broulee and Batemans Bay also opened their doors as evacuation centres this week alongside those in the south at Tathra and Pambula.

LIfesaving NSW Officials said Far South Coast surf clubs had homed as many as 7000 people during the week and praised the efforts of crews who provided first aid and calm assistance during the crisis.

Mr George said Tathra's drive to help was born of their experience from the 2018 bushfire that destroyed 69 homes.

"It hit hard for us at Tathra ... with what we had all gone through two years ago. help for us came so quickly from everywhere.

"They [lifesavers] hold the community pretty close their heart and just wanted to give back a little bit for our surrounding communities."

Mr George said it has been a week of turmoil and praised the efforts of lifesavers, but also emergency services and particularly the RFS.

While life-saving at Tathra has mostly been able to get back to normal everyone is on alert for predicted hot and windy conditions for Friday and into the weekend. "Fingers crossed, we're in the lap of the gods right now," Mr George said.