Total fire bans have been declared across Victoria as firefighters prepare for extreme fire danger and scorching temperatures.
The bans affect eight of the state's nine fire districts, with temperatures exceeding 40C in many areas on Wednesday and strong northerly winds forecast across the state.
No fires can be lit from midnight in the Mallee, Wimmera, Northern Country, North East, West and South Gippsland, Central, North Central, and South West regions.
Extreme fire danger in the Mallee, Wimmera and South West includes the area on Victoria's surf coast where the 2500-hectare Wye River-Jamieson Track fire is burning.
The blaze remains out of control in rugged forest country, but no property is under direct threat.
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"It's a very difficult fire to extinguish, the last parts of it, but we're confident that the work that's been done will hopefully contain it," Emergency Management Commissioner Craig Lapsley said on Tuesday.
Fire crews used Tuesday's milder conditions to strengthen containment lines and prepare for Wednesday's fire danger with the help of at least 350 firefighters and eight water-bombing aircraft.
Increased water-bombing is also planned for Wednesday, with firefighters supported by 57 water aircraft across the state.
Mr Lapsley urged holiday-makers across the state's camping grounds to take extra care amid the dangerous fire weather.
"Obviously at this time of year we've got campers, so campfires are something we need to focus on," he said.
Campfires need to be doused completely with water to ensure they don't spark any blazes.
Wednesday's hot weather also prompted a warning from Ambulance Victoria's health commander Paul Holman about avoiding the heat and foregoing outdoor activities such as gardening and jogging.
"We're asking the community to respect the heat. You really need to take care and you need to adapt your lifestyle," he told reporters.
"Every day we see like this, we get people who don't respect the heat, and heat kills - literally."
Parents have also been warned not to leave kids in the car after 225 kids had to be rescued from locked cars in December.
