A total fire ban has been declared in Victoria's north near the NSW border amid severe conditions and temperatures in the mid 30s.
No fires can be lit in the Mallee district on Friday, the Country Fire Authority say.
The total fire ban follows a day of bans and extreme fire danger warnings on Thursday across the Wimmera, Northern Country and North Central districts.
There is a very high fire danger rating across Wimmera and Northern Country on Friday, with a high fire risk in the North East, North Central and South West districts.
The Country Fire Authority had been poised for "poised for a bad fire day" on Thursday but the state got through the day without any major blazes.
In preparation for Thursday's severe conditions, 32 waterbombing aircraft were strategically placed around the state.
This year's bushfire season got off to an unusually early start in September after a bushfire sparked by a controlled burn in Lancefield threatened lives, destroyed houses and livelihoods, and forced hundreds to flee.
A scathing independent report into the fire, released on Thursday, found the agency responsible for the controlled burn underestimated the danger posed by drought conditions and looming hot weather.
The head of the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning has apologised for the harm his agency caused.
The government has ordered changes to the control burning program.
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