A fast-growing fire in Victoria's Grampians National Park razed 28,000 hectares by Saturday morning despite firefighters best efforts to battle the blaze overnight.
Residents in the nearby towns of Bellfield, Halls Gap, Lake Fyans, Pomonal, Mafeking and Watgania have all been told to leave immediately.
Emergency services said firefighters have been able to slow the spread of fire, but warned it won't be contained for weeks and the situation can change at any time.
Emergency warnings are also in place for residents in The Gurdies in South Gippsland as another fire northwest of Melbourne at Bullengarook in the Macedon region downgrades to watch-and-act.
Firefighters in Western Australia and NSW have brought scores of fires under control in recent days, but temperatures in the high 30s and low 40s are expected to hit the west coast over the weekend before pushing eastward.
Smoke from the bushfires shrouded parts of Melbourne. (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)
"The heat really building, though in WA, a very hot day on the way across much of our West Coast," bureau meteorologist Dean Narramore said.
Elevated fire dangers are forecast for the south of WA with dry thunderstorms possible for western parts.
Heatwave conditions are also persisting across the state's midwest affecting Mingenew and Coral Bay as well as the Kimberley and Pilbara regions.
Very hot conditions have returned to — Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) #WA. Temps are up to 10°C above average & could reach 15°C above average in the south-west on Sunday & Monday. Elevated fire dangers are forecast for the south. Dry thunderstorms are possible for western parts.Latest: https://t.co/4W35o8i7wJ pic.twitter.com/Fn6JjY0Z0uDecember 20, 2024
Above-average temperatures are predicted for the 2024-25 summer in many parts of the nation, according to long-range forecasts from the Bureau of Meteorology, underscoring a grim outlook from emergency services.
With hot temperatures expected to persist into Christmas, Victoria's Country Fire Authority has urged people to plan ahead.
"We know people have a lot to think about this festive season but taking a few minutes to plan and prepare could save the lives of you and those you love," chief fire officer Jason Heffernan said.
"On hot, dry and windy days, have a back-up location to visit that is not in a high-risk bushfire area."
