Smoke from a "dangerous" bushfire in Victoria's East Gippsland region sparked lightning and a call for nearby residents to evacuate.
The blaze is burning out of control north of Timbarra on Friday and has created a lightning cloud.
Burning since January 16, and started by lightning, Friday's sweltering conditions saw the fire surge.
The blaze grew from 400 hectares to 3000 hectares, Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp said.
"It's a dangerous fire."
Rough terrain and conditions made it difficult for firefighters to battle, he added.
"At its peak we had 125 firefighters engaged in asset protection and nine helicopters and planes."
Most people are believed to have left before an emergency warning was issued and three people had presented at a relief centre.
Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Kevin Parkin explained the hazard of the conditions.
"We saw the smoke column jump from only being a couple of kilometres high to 10km or more high, and we saw that smoke column produce its own lightning," he said.
The phenomenon is called pyrocumulus and is "incredibly dangerous," he added.
"It can make it almost impossible to fight."
People at Butchers Ridge, W-Tree, Murrindal and Gillingall are being told to leave immediately.
"The bushfire is travelling in a southeasterly direction towards Timbarra Settlement. This fire is threatening homes and lives," an emergency alert reads.
It is one of 40 fires that have intensified on Friday with a Watch and Act message issued for a bushfire at Howqua and a grassfire at Boho, both in the state's north east.
"Firefighters, aircraft and machinery are responding to the bush fire. Staying close to a building you can shelter in is the safest option as conditions can change suddenly," the VicEmergency warning for the Howqua fire reads.
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