No homes lost in Vic bushfires

No lives or homes have been lost in Victoria's bushfires but the threat remains with the mercury set to soar again on Wednesday.

Firefighters near the scene of a fire in Somerville

Communities near two Victorian bushfires have been told that they need to remain vigilant. (AAP) Source: AAP

No Victorian lives or homes have been lost despite a sweltering day of bushfires and emergency warnings.

Victorians in parts of the state will be able to sleep a little easier on Tuesday night as two emergency warnings for Glendaruel, Coghills Creek, near Ballarat, and Somerville, south of Melbourne, were on Tuesday evening downgraded to a watch and act message.

While the Mount Bolton blaze remains out of control, it is smaller than previously thought, with authorities reducing its burn size to 890 hectares from the initially reported 1300 hectares.

The grass and shrub fire took hold in Mount Boulton amid searing temperatures early on Tuesday, which saw Mildura swelter through 42C, Morwell 41C and Wodonga 39C.

No property losses have been reported despite residents in Mount Bolton and Addington areas previously warning that spot fires and ember attacks were occurring 1.5 kilometres in front of the fire.

The fire has since veered away from farm buildings and is heading towards unoccupied scrubland, a state control centre spokesman said.

Nearly 300 firefighters, 67 trucks and 18 aircraft are continuing to fight the blaze ahead of Wednesday's conditions, which will see a total fire ban over four districts in the state's north.

While Melbourne remained slightly cooler with a top of 38C, another fire broke out in Somerville, south of the city, at one point threatening homes as it came close to lapping on the fences of residential properties.

The Bureau of Meteorology's senior forecaster Dean Stewart said the Mallee, Northern Country, North Central and North Eastern districts had been assigned severe fire danger warnings as the mercury again is expected to soar into the 40s in the state's north.

A combination of severe heat and fresh northwesterly winds of up to 40km/h, due to sweep across the north from Wednesday afternoon, will create the perfect conditions for fire, he said.

Meanwhile, fire authorities will continue to investigate 15 shrub and grass fires out of the 115 reported on Tuesday.

Emergency management commissioner Craig Lapsley said the two "significant" blazes were part of the 15 he says were aided by the "human factor".

"Well, we haven't seen lightning, so if it's not lightning, it means it's got to be the human factor ... be it a vehicle, a hand or an accident," he told reporters.

Mr Lapsley said he expects fire investigators to know the source of ignition for most fires on Wednesday.


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Source: AAP



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