Air crews will spend the rest of the week scanning northeast Victoria for new bushfires after thousands of lightning strikes bombarded the region, with more on the way.
As firefighters continued to battle more than a dozen blazes across the state on Monday, dry thunderstorms presented a new threat.
In the 24 hours up to late Monday the Bureau of Meteorology recorded some 18,000 lightning strikes across Victoria.
"We fully anticipate that additional fires will start during the next few days as a direct result of the lightning," Forest Fire Management Victoria Assistant Chief Officer Aaron Kennedy said.
"Our fire detection towers will be operating for extended hours because of the increased threat.
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"Firefighters, aircraft and heavy machinery are on stand by ready to respond."
Two fires continue to concern authorities because of their location.
"The ones we're concerned about are the fires in and around Walhalla, that's still in inaccessible country and of course the one that continues around Thomson Reservoir, that's state critical infrastructure," Country Fire Authority Chief Steve Warrington told ABC Radio.
Authorities have been concerned the fire will enter the catchment of the reservoir, one of Melbourne's drinking water sources.
A warning remains in place for a fire that started at Grantville, southeast of Melbourne, as wind gusts forecast for Tuesday "may cause the reignition of hot spots and increased smoke", the VicEmergency website said.
Firefighters brought the Hepburn blaze in central Victoria under control on Monday, with residents in the resort town of Hepburn Springs forced to evacuate over the weekend.
The fire was declared under control and firefighters are "very confident" about their ability to contain it
Smoke was evident across many parts of Victoria on Monday, with some coming across Bass Strait from blazes in Tasmania's northeast.
Tuesday's developing easterly winds will bring smoke from fires in the Gippsland region across Melbourne, BoM supervising meteorologist Michael Efron said.
"As we head into Tuesday we will see conditions becoming a little more unsettled as a low pressure trough persists over northern Victoria we will see some shower and thunderstorm activity especially across the eastern ranges during the afternoon and evening."
Later in the week humidity is expected to increase along with moisture levels.
