'He walked off on me': Pregnant Cobargo woman who refused to shake PM's hand expresses frustration

The pregnant Cobargo woman who refused to shake Scott Morrison's hand has described being "heartbroken" at the Prime Minister's response.

In vision captured by 9News that has been viewed around the world, Mr Morrison approached the young mother during his visit to the NSW town of Cobargo, which had been devastated by Tuesday's fires.

But when she declines to take his hand unless he promises more funding for rural firefighter, he shakes it anyway then appears to turn his back on her.

Zoey McDermott, 20, lost her home and almost all her possessions in Tuesday's fires, but says she was more focused on getting relief for the local RFS bridge, which she said was underfunded and overworked.

"He just wanted photos. He walked off on me," Zoey McDermott told the Sydney Morning Herald.

"I would have had the utmost respect for him – for any leader – if they had just sat down with us and discussed (what we needed)."

"My friends in the local brigade - so many of them have lost their houses. It hurts me so much that they're so stretched."

Ms McDermott, who is 28 weeks pregnant, was forced to drive through a firefront with her two year-old-daughter while fleeing to Bermagui on the South Coast.

"It was absolutely terrifying just not knowing whether we'd get out of it alive."

"As a parent, you do feel responsibility".

Ms McDermott has now evacuated to a relative's house but is fearful her family will again be under threat during Saturday's extreme conditions.