Regional Victorians have been warned to brace for more scorching conditions as temperatures rise above 40C.
Residents in the state's central and northern areas felt the heat on Wednesday as the temperature climbed into the 40s.
Meanwhile, Melbourne's CBD was hot and sunny, but more manageable at 36C.
The northern parts of Victoria are predicted to swelter on Thursday with Mildura expecting a maximum of 43C, Swan Hill likely to hit 42C and Echua 41C.
Victoria's chief health officer has urged residents to try to keep cool and drink plenty of water, while the Country Fire Authority has issued a total fire ban for the Mallee district.
It's a milder outlook for the rest of Victoria, which is forecast to have maximum temperatures about 10C lower, but with a run of hot nights.
Melbourne's forecast will not dip below 21C until Sunday evening.
