Ten days later, the blazes had become what is now known as the January 18 firestorm, tragically killing four people and destroyed almost 500 homes.

Ever since then, smoke in the hills around Canberra has sent a shiver of fear through residents, not least those who were there during the disaster.

All those feelings of dread returned on Friday as a fire, which started from a burnt-out car, continued to rage out of control and head towards Tuggeranong.

Aaron Hale, the operations manager of Eternity Church on Sulwood Drive, Kambah, was at lunchtime Friday enacting its emergency operations plan, cancelling a planned youth group meeting for Friday evening and clearing debris from around the area.

The church community understands the force of a fire. The church in Kambah was built to replace the New Creations Ministries Centre which was burnt to the ground in Dixon Drive, Holder in the 2003 firestorm.

"It's very much on our mind at the moment,'' Mr Hale said, of the 2003 disaster.

Another Kambah resident, who rebuilt their home after it was destroyed in the 2003 bushfires, was on alert again on Friday, packing their car.

"We're taking clothes, photos this time and the dogs, of course,'' the woman, who did not want to be named, said.

She could start to smell smoke and the memories of 2003 were returning.

"It's a bit eerie. It's so dark and windy,'' she said.

The 2003 bushfires were never under control, as bigger and bigger containment lines, were built around them.