Firefighters at a fast moving grass fire in the Epping area in the northern suburbs of Melbourne yesterday. Photo / AAP
At least eight buildings have been destroyed by fire near Ballarat in Victoria as authorities warn the worst could be yet to come.
Extreme temperatures and high winds are predicted for Sunday afternoon.
Fire crews are bracing for a southwesterly change, along with wind gusts up to 80km/h, around lunchtime that could see conditions deteriorate.
Emergency Management Commissioner Craig Lapsley said crews are focused on four major fires, in different parts of the state.
"Today is a hot day in Victoria ... and we are working on those (fires) to ensure we extinguish them today and certainly do not have them burn over the next number of days," he told reporters.
"We don't want that prior to Christmas."
He said the Scotsburn fire, near Ballarat, was of critical concern and while he confirmed at least eight buildings had already been destroyed.
The volatile conditions at Scotsburn caught many off guard, including firefighters, he said.
Three CFA crews, in two separate incidents, were lucky to escape when their vehicles became trapped when a storm cell ran into the smoke plume at Scotsburn, pushing the fire to the west while the winds came from the north.
"That actually caught firefighters out," he said.
The trapped crews activated the sprinklers over the trucks and huddled under fire retardant blankets until the danger had passed.
"They put all their procedures in place and came out of there with a story to tell," Mr Lapsley said."
There were also reports of residents who were trapped in and around their homes. Those caught in the fire weren't injured, but another firefighter has been treated for burns.
It's believed the Scotsburn fire was started by a spark from machinery operating in a paddock.
Crews and firefighting aircraft are also battling fires, all started by lightning, near Lorne in the Otway National Park, near Buxton and in East Gippsland.
They are also keeping an eye on a contained but out of control grassfire at the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges.
Premier Daniel Andrews applauded firefighting efforts and said this weekend was another example of fire crews putting their lives on the line to protect Victorians.
Watch and Act warnings are in place for Wandin North, Scotsburn and Grenville.
Advice messages have been issued for Lorne, East Gippsland, Shepparton North and Buxton.
-AAP
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