Mild weather has bolstered the efforts of fire crews battling a destructive blaze on Victoria's surf coast.
Residents of Kennett River, Grey River and Wongarra were allowed to go home for New Year's Eve after a wind change pushed the destructive fire back into dense bushland.
The blaze claimed 116 homes in Wye River and Separation Creek on Christmas Day and it sparked up again in 40C temperatures on Thursday.
The fire is not yet under control, but it also didn't move much on Friday.
Temperatures were down to low 20s and those cooler conditions are expected to hang around.
"We've got some fairly benign weather for the next few days," a State Control Centre spokesman told AAP on Friday night.
"That provides an opportunity to do some good work, combatting the blaze."
The Bureau of Meteorology predicts maximum temperatures of about 23 or 24 degrees in the area on Saturday and Sunday, with relatively moderate to fresh winds from the south east.
"It's certainly not as hot as what we've had of late through there," forecaster Peter Blake told AAP.
The region may also get some light drizzle overnight Friday and on Sunday morning, though it likely won't be enough to have any impact on the fire.
Fire crews will continue water bombing the blaze from the air on Saturday.
The fire is burning on a 40km perimeter but, at this stage, is not directly threatening properties.
Specialist firefighters from New Zealand who are experts in inaccessible terrain will join the fire fight on January 4.
Up to 600 people are battling the blaze, which flared in extreme heat and high winds on Christmas Day following a lightning strike in rugged bushland a week earlier.
Wye River and Separation Creek remain closed to the public and residents as teams assess whether there are any potential hazards such as exposed asbestos, landslips, powerlines and damaged septic tanks.
It's unclear when people will be allowed back into those areas.
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