Central Vic town of 3000 under fire threat

About 3000 residents of a central Victorian town are under threat from a fast-moving grassfire.

People in Numurkah, about 25km north of Shepparton, have been urged to evacuate to Cobram where it is safe to do so, however for some it is too late to leave.

The CFA says residents in the town's northern fringes have should take shelter inside.

Local incident control spokesman Robert Scott said the threat had increased from earlier in the day after a new fire started at Reilly's Pit Road.

"It's actually impacting on Numurkah," Mr Scott said.

"It's not heading towards Shepparton at the moment. If we get the southerly winds it will blow it away from Shepparton," he said.