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MELBOURNE - A total fire ban is in place across Victoria today as firefighters face severe weather conditions while battling bushfires near many townships.
Crews have spent the night carrying out containment work around some of the worst fire areas in the state's north-east and Gippsland, ahead of today's forecasted weather of extreme heat coupled with northerly winds.
However, a cool change is expected later in the day.
"The fire will move very quickly and the intensity of the fire will be very hot," said Department of Sustainability and Environment spokesman Stuart Ord.
"There is no doubt the fire will hit settlements ... the question is which ones."
Towns causing the most concern in the state's north-east include Tolmie, the ski resort of Mt Buller, Merrijig, Kevington, Gaffney's Creek, A1 Mine Settlement and Knockwood.
In the King Valley, Whitfield, Edi, Cheshunt, Cheshunt South, Rose River, Burders Lane and Paradise Falls are closest to the fire fronts.
And threatened townships in Gippsland include Briagalong, Licola, Valencia, Boisdale, Bushy Park, Culloden, Newry, Coongulla, Glenmaggie, and Upper Maffra West.
Burning embers, ash, twigs and branches were expected to carry the fire from the highlands south to the Gippsland plains where drought-affected pasture could easily carry it down to the coast, Mr Ord said.
Almost 4,000 firefighters from Victoria, NSW, the ACT and New Zealand are battling blazes statewide, backed by army personnel.
Fires so far have consumed almost 180,000 hectares of bush.
- AAP
