A house has been burnt down south of Cobden, Victoria. Photo / AAP
A house has been burnt down south of Cobden, Victoria. Photo / AAP
Up to 18 homes are believed to have been destroyed in bushfires across Victoria's southwest that have also killed livestock and razed pastoral properties.
The latest toll comes as authorities welcome a cool change overnight that they hope will ease conditions for more than 700 firefighters who are still tackling active bush and grass blazes.
Victoria's emergency management commissioner Craig Lapsley says the main concerns are fires at Cobden and Penshurst, where watch and act alerts remain active.
"We're getting on top of the fires. The winds are down. The day's a milder day. The temperature backed off. Today will be a good day in that sense," Lapsley told Nine Network today.
About 1700 properties remain without power and Lapsley warned those affected might have to make do for a bit longer because power poles and other infrastructure has been damaged.
"To restore the power is a big issue in some parts of those fires."
Warrnambool Incident controller Russell Manning said his team today will try to bring the eastern edge of the fires under control with six fire bombing apparatus and two helicopters to help.
A team of 16 vets would also work in the area to assist animals hurt in the fire.
The Colac Incident Control Centre will keep tackling the fires from Terang, Garvoc to Camperdown with more than 400 personnel helping and 47 vehicles due to respond.
Apart from the housing toll, hundreds of beef and dairy cattle have also been killed and about 40,000ha of prime pastoral and other lands burnt out.
Some of the hardest hit areas including Cobden and Terang to Camperdown. About 800 people sought seek shelter at evacuation centres and many were still there today.
Corangamite Shire Mayor Jo Beard, who's council covers the Cobden area, said residents and farmers were trying to be brave as they waited to hear the extent of the damage.
"It's been devastating honestly particularly on the farmers who have been through so much in the last couple of years," she told Nine Network.
"It's a massive hit. It's such an unknown how this will play out. We're all still very much on edge."
"It's so devastating and it's going to take years to get back into the business again." Dairy farmer Ian Grummett on the impact of bushfires that have torn through his Victoria business. #7Newspic.twitter.com/Na0PopD86V
It's believed not all of the homes destroyed were occupied. There have been no reports deaths or people missing so far.
The state Government will provide immediate personal hardship payments, worth about A$1900 per household, to use for food, clothing and shelter with assessment for further support.
Police and fire investigators are yet to determine the causes of the fire but authorities say it's likely to be due to lightning strikes.
The major grass and bushfires began on Saturday, raged through the night and continued to burn yesterday into today.
Homeowners with insurance caught in the fires will be given priority for their claims after the Insurance Council of Australia declared the fires a catastrophe.
Firefighters inspect burnt out bushland near Scotts Creek. Photo / AAP
