A break in the weather has helped firefighters plan ahead in their battle against an out-of-control bushfire on Victoria's surf coast.
Damp, humid weather has caused low cloud and fog, which has obscured the rugged terrain where the 2500-hectare Wye River-Jamieson Track fire is burning.
The blaze burned 116 homes in Wye River and Separation Creek on Christmas Day after a lightning strike in dense bush six days earlier.
Incident controller Gregg Paterson said the weather cleared long enough on Tuesday to allow aircraft to use infra-red hotspot detection equipment and perform reconnaissance work.
New hotspots were identified on the northern and southwestern edges of the fire before the clouds closed in again, Mr Paterson said.
"That intelligence was really helpful," he told AAP.
"So we'll continue to focus on building and strengthening our containment lines, especially on the northern and southwestern ends of the fire."
About 200 firefighters are working to control the fire, which is expected to burn through the summer.
This includes 20 New Zealand firefighters who specialise in battling fires in dense forest.
Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Chris Godfred says the weather will warm up over the weekend, but not too much.
"We're looking at pretty mild conditions, from low 20s on Saturday, and high 20s to early 30s on Sunday," he told AAP on Tuesday.
"It will heat up somewhat, with the hottest day in the sequence looking to be Sunday."
Northern Victoria will bear the brunt of the heat, with temperatures in the high 30s to low 40s expected next week.
"Coastal areas look set to be in the low-to-mid 20s on Monday and Tuesday," Mr Godfred said.
Meanwhile, Wye River and Separation Creek residents affected by the Christmas Day bushfire have been given extra time to lodge their tax returns, and the Australian Tax Office will fast-track their refunds.
"If your business or residential address is in one of the identified affected postcodes, it will happen automatically," tax commissioner Chris Jordan said.
In a welcome boost for the surf coast's beleaguered tourism industry, the iconic Great Ocean Road will re-open to traffic between Cumberland River and Wye River at 8am on Wednesday.
Emergency Management Commissioner Craig Lapsley said the fire is burning deep in forest country and, with areas close to the coast blacked out, the road is safe to reopen.
"Business and tourism is a crucial part of what makes a community run and particularly in an area such as the surf coast which heavily relies on summer tourism," he said.
"We want everyone to support local businesses and enjoy the area, but to be aware that there is still a fire being worked on so people will see aircraft and trucks and at times, smoke."
Mr Lapsley urged visitors to stay up to date with warnings, check and re-check fire danger ratings, and respect the privacy of residents and visitors affected by the fire.
