"One of the workers said to me, what strikes her as incredible is that there is a numbness," said Donna Argus from the Department of Family and Community Services, who has spearheaded the operations across the region.

"People are arriving numb, things have happened quickly."

By midday on Sunday, 796 people have been registered through the evacuation centre at the Equex Centre on Copland Street.

Of those, 480 people have been booked into accommodation across the city. Presently, the city has another 300 rooms to offer if required.

"All year we plan and do preparedness work with out partners, Red Cross, St John's, Anglicare and chaplaincy networks, for an event like this," Ms Argus said.

"Did I anticipate something this big? No. But I don't think you ever anticipate anything in emergency management, things are just far too unpredictable.

"Definitely this is a worst case scenario."

Throughout the week, evacuation centres have opened and closed depending on fire activity in Tumbarumba, Adelong, Holbrook and Albury, with the 'mass evacuation' centre in Wagga.

"We had a lot of people present from Tumut when the power went out. There was a lot of fear created in that, people were fearful that Gocup Road would be blocked so they wanted to be here instead of isolated in their town," Ms Argus said.

Speaking with The Daily Advertiser on Sunday, Ms Argus said the magnitude of the crisis across the region has been highlighted by how many people have arrived with little after fleeing so quickly.

"Some people had time to plan and get things in their car, and so when they got here they were quite self-sufficient," Ms Argus said.

"Some people have come through [after being] hurried out very, very quickly and they haven't got anything with them. For them, we're looking after their immediate needs - clothing, toiletries, food."

For large and extended families that have presented together, Ms Argus said every effort has been made to keep them together.

The Daily Advertiser was not given permission to speak to any of the evacuees present at the Equex Centre on Sunday, but Independent state member for Wagga, Dr Joe McGirr did speak with the displaced people and conveyed some of their thoughts and feelings.

Despite the situation, he said, people are remaining positive.

"Many people are just very happy that they're still here, and that they've gotten out," Dr McGirr said.

"There are people who have lost their homes and they are doing it very tough. They're really just coming to terms with that.

"There are others here who believe their homes are OK, but they've got animals, they've got family and they've had to relocate here.

"Of course for many people now there's the uncertainty in waiting to find out what's happened. People are very anxious to get back, but with the fire situation that's not possible."

Accommodating companion animals has proved difficult. During the height of evacuations on Saturday, the Showgrounds facility reached its capacity, but Ms Argus said the team has secured further grounds.

Staff at the Equex Centre number up to 31 across the various federal, state and charity groups present.

But Ms Argus praised the enormous efforts of the volunteers who have helped in extraordinary circumstances.

"We're very lucky, when this sort of stuff happens people just roll up their sleeves and get in there," Ms Argus said.

"In running a centre like this, if we didn't have volunteers, it wouldn't happen. We are so dependent on our volunteers.

"I'm calling people up at 2 in the morning, and they waking up and coming here. They don't have to do this, but they're here and they're amazing."